Stranger and Stranger
by djinni14
Summary: Kate doesn't know anyone around here. Anyone at all. And she has been living alone for a long time. But her dreams are about to become reality. And she isn't the only one. Please note the Sci-fi tag. It's not much this time, but there is a little and maybe more later.
1. Chapter 1

**CH1**

Rick had spent the last few days packing the trailer now Alexis was helping him load the Range Rover for their summer vacation.

The trailer had a lot of supplies, a whole lot of supplies and they still had to make a final stop before they got there.

Now they were loading the Range Rover with food and clothes. They would stop and get all of the perishables the same time they got the final item(s) they needed.

"You got the list pumpkin?" Rick asks her. They had this down to a science and each year they still add to the list. They keep this up and they are going to need a whole new trailer, since they couldn't enlarge the SUV any.

Problem was it was already brand new. This Range Rover was a 2014 Land Rover Range Rover SUV. 3.0L V6 Supercharger 4x4 8-speed Automatic with 510 horse power. It had yet to make this trip. Their previous Range Rover had been retired.

"Here you go dad." As Alexis hands it over since she was in charge of it.

"Looks like we still need the suitcases of winter clothing, two more cases of freeze dried fruit and all of the cases of MRE's. Do we have to take the MRE's?" Rick moans.

"Yes dad. They are part of the emergency food supplies. If we get snowed in from an early storm we may be stuck there for a few extra weeks. Or something even worse could happen." Alexis reminds him of why they even have the list.

"Yes I know, but it's like eating colored cardboard." Rick moans a little more. He's exaggerating a little and he knows it.

Alexis just glares at him until he can't take it anymore and stops moaning and loads the cases.

Alexis goes up to her room and packs her final suitcase with winter clothes. She knows there are already winter clothes there that they left from last time but taking more gave them some security.

She dragged the suitcase down the stairs and down to the car and left it for her dad to load into the car. On her way back upstairs she passed her dad taking his suitcase with his winter clothes down to the car.

Alexis picked up one of the boxes of freeze dried fruit and took it downstairs then came back for another.

While Alexis handled the freeze dried fruit Rick took care of the cases of MRE's. He was really tempted to carry them down to the car and then leave them behind where Alexis wouldn't see them. However he also knew she was right. He just didn't want to eat the things.

"How are we doing on the list?" Rick asks her.

Alexis pulls it out to see if there was anything left as she has been checking them off as the do them.

"All done dad. We leave early in the morning we should make the last town by noon so we can get the rest of the items." Alexis puts the list away.

"GREAT! You go lock the car and I'll order pizza then we can get some sleep for tomorrow." Rick is excited.

Alexis runs downstairs with a little more enthusiasm than she had hauling all this stuff down. Once downstairs she presses the button on the fob. 'Bleep'. Then she floated back upstairs smiling all the way.

Alexis soooo wanted to get the summer vacation started. It had expanded over time. They used to just go out for a few weeks at the start. Now they stay there for months. Last year when they left it had just started to snow. It took them longer to get back to the city but it was so pretty.

"Night dad, don't make me get you up in the morning." Alexis warns him as she heads for her room for the night.

"Ha, ha." Rick responds back. Though he knew it was a threat she would keep if he didn't get up soon enough.

One time they had taken too long into the day to load the old Range Rover that he was tired and he didn't get up when he was supposed to. Alexis had already eaten breakfast when she went into his room with an air horn. Like you would use at a football game or something.

And she had used it with unrestrained liberal use of it. He was convinced he had lost his hearing permanently.

Alexis was up in the morning and after taking a shower she went downstairs with her trusty air horn in hand, only to find her father in the kitchen munching on a breakfast bar.

"Morning dad." Alexis greets him and places her air horn down on the breakfast bar as she sits.

"Breakfast?" Rick asks her lifting his eyebrows a couple of times at her, as he hands over a breakfast bar. The refrigerator was empty since they were going to be gone for several months.

Alexis takes it from him. "Thanks dad." Ripping it open and taking a bite. "Got the money?"

Rick points to the bag at the door leading downstairs. They had agreed that they needed cash instead of relying on their debit/credit cards for everything.

It was time to get going if they wanted to miss most of the morning traffic.

As it was it still took them 6 hours to get to Malone, New York. The last big town they would see for the next several months.

Rick pulled into the co-op just outside of town. This is where they stop to get the wood pellets for the pellet stove.

They both got out and went inside. "Mr. Castle and little Castle. It's good to see you two." Evan greets them. "I take it you're here for your yearly bags of pellets."

"Hey Evan, yup time to start our annual summer vacation." Rick greets him.

"Just how much do you already have out there?" Evan didn't understand why they bought some each year.

"We did manage to use a number of bags last year. That early storm in the fall caught us a little by surprise." Rick explains.

"Well you unhook the trailer and I'll get the guys to start loading it." Evan tells him.

"Thanks Evan, we'll go into town and purchase all our perishables and be back in about an hour or so." Rick explains where they are going next.

"We'll be ready for you to back up and hook up and go. No worry." Evan guarantees.

Rick unhooks the trailer and sets it up for the kids to load the bags of pellets while he and Alexis head for the groceries.

Actually they buy all their food here not just the perishables. They each push around a cart filling each one up without any trouble. Then back out to the car they unload it all into boxes that they had pre-loaded into the car.

Then back inside for two more carts worth. This load also went into still more boxes. Then back inside for the third and final trip.

"How we doing on the list pumpkin." Rick asks her since they had a list for the food too.

"Just the fruits and few fresh vegetables left to go dad." As Alexis has been checking off the items as they box everything.

Several hundred dollars later they go pick up the trailer and pay for the pellets then drive to the butcher to fill their coolers with half a cow that has been butchered into packages that have been marked what is in them.

Finally after almost 4 hours in town the go fill the car and fill their gas cans that are also on the trailer.

It was going to be dark by the time they got to the house and then start the process of unloading everything.

They traveled on little two lane roads for a little while until they turned off onto a dirt road that they drove on for a long time.

Eventually they turned off of this road onto a little trail that slowed them down considerably thanks to the trailer they were towing.

Eventually they went over a little bridge that her dad had built that allowed them to cross a small stream. It was the only access to the house.

Now they were driving with trees crowding them on both sides having to go even slower since the trail was even more uneven here.

Then they had to stop completely. They found that a tree had fallen across their little trail.

"You pull out the cable off of the wench and I'll get the chain saw." Rick offered.

"Got it dad." Alexis knew what to do. She had to do this once when she was little, only that time it was a lot harder for her since she was so much younger than she was now.

Rick eventually showed up with the chainsaw out of its case.

"Be careful dad." Alexis knew her dad was handy and they needed the chainsaw when they got to the house during their time here, so he had used it several times before. But still she worried.

It took two or three pulls to get it to start. Rick went to work cutting off the limbs before he made his first of several major cuts.

It took a little time but he soon had cut out a section that they could now move out of their way.

Putting the chainsaw away he came back to the front of the car. "Help me with the line." Rick asked her.

Together they managed to put it around one end of his cut and connect it. "Stand back pumpkin in case the line snaps or comes loose." Rick waited until Alexis was behind the car before he started up the winch.

He soon had one side part pulled off to one side, then with Alexis's help he had the other part pulled to the other side of the trail.

It was only just wide enough for the Range Rover and trailer to make it past with inches to spare.

Due to the delay it was dark by the time they made it to the house. So they couldn't see it very well.

"We need some light pumpkin. I can't see to back the trailer into the carport for us to unload it." Rick tells her.

"I'll get it dad." And Alexis hops out and opens the house. Picking up the flashlight they left at the front door last time she headed for the electrical box and started turning on the power.

The roof and the carport were covered with solar power cells.

**Monocrystalline, or Single Crystal, is the original PV technology**

Made with high efficiency crystalline solar cells for long-lasting use

Aluminum frame for extended outdoor use

Bypass diode minimizes power drop caused by shade

Weatherproof for superior durability

Ideal for areas with high sun exposure

Easy to install and maintenance free

Includes: 2 x 150 Watt crystalline solar panels, 30 Amp digital charge controller, 300 Watt inverter with USB port, mounting hardware, voltage tester, and 20 ft. of wiring

There were 4 solar cells on the carport roof alone. Plus another 4 on the second floor roof and 6 more on the first floor roof.

In addition they had 4 solar hot water cells on the back porch cover that helped create hot water.

In addition they had a pair of wind mills with another pair of outhouses located between them. Alexis affectionately had started calling them an outhouse, since each was about the size of one. This is where the power the windmills generated was controlled and then routed to the other outhouse that housed the batteries.

The batteries were just a back-up power system in case it was needed.

The water came from a small stream not far away. Part of the stream was funneled down to a pipe connection where a pump was located. The flow of the water powered the pump. This was their main water source.

Last year they had a well drilled and had a small cistern installed that held rainwater. All of this flowed through a filter and UV light system to purify all of the water no matter the source.

All of the waste water went out to a septic tank and drain field. The pumps for the drain field were only powered from the windmill and battery system.

There were two 500 gallon propane tanks that were used to power the A/C forced air system, located about 15 feet from the house. Though they tried very hard not to over use it. It was also what they used to cook with in the kitchen and powered the 3 tankless water heaters.

The solar hot water was stored in a tank that the water heaters took their water from. Since the water was pre-heated the tankless units used less propane to heat the water up if it was needed at all. They had 3 tankless units as 100% back-up to the solar hot water system.

The house itself had 2 bedrooms, both on the second floor along with a single bathroom. Both bedrooms were open to the lower level with a Jack and Jill bathroom between them. Access was thru a door for some privacy but if you really wanted to you could get into each bedroom from the main room downstairs.

Downstairs was a very large main room with an open kitchen with a monstrously large pantry, mud room with storage room, and a laundry room. The dryer was propane powered so a lot of time they dried their clothes outside. There was not a formal dining room since Rick didn't think it would be necessary.

The kitchen refrigerator was a combination electric/propane unit. Everything in the refrigerator had been removed and packed out to the first dumpster they could find when they left here last year. They would need to fill it up again with what they had bought back in town.

There was also a small basement that only covered about half the house. Down in the basement were two large upright and two chest freezers. All four run on electricity and over the winter they were powered off of the windmill system and the batteries. So everything they left behind from their previous trips should still be good.

And all of the meat along with some of the perishables would go down here tonight.

While the house did have forced air the main room downstairs had a pellet stove in one corner. It was large enough to heat the entire house. Plus the sofa and loveseat have pullout beds.

The back deck was where there was some outdoor furniture that was presently stored up against the house under the porch cover and strapped into place for its winter stay.

There was also an outdoor kitchen type area where they could butcher the meat they would hunt for.

At first Alexis had turned her nose up at watching her dad catch or kill something and then prepare for storage or get ready to eat immediately if it was smaller. She knew it was meat, but seeing where it came from first hand was just a little hard when she was younger.

There was a modern BBQ that was propane powered but there was also a fire pit for late night star gazing or open fire cooking.

They already had 2 cords of wood that hadn't been used up last year that Rick would add to as the summer went along.

Soon Rick could see what he was doing as Alexis continued to turn on the house. She had to close the main water line drain so she could turn on the water. The water pipes were drained of water for winter storage.

The solar hot water tank also needed to get filled. The water system would be ready by morning so they could take a hot shower.

Rick backed the trailer into the carport and disconnected the trailer and pulled the car around to the front of the house so they could unload it tonight.

The carport had a large storage out at the back of it. This is where the two quads were located, along with all the gasoline and all of their camping gear.

2008 Yamaha YFZ250 for Alexis.

2012 Yamaha Grizzly 700 FI Auto 4x4 EPS Special Edition for Rick.

Alexis had started with something smaller when she was 6 years old. But Rick had exchanged it for what she has now when she turned 10. Now she was 11 and would turn 12 during the summer.

At first Rick was scared for her, but over the years she had gotten to be pretty good at it. Enough so that he didn't think too much about it anymore. However he figured she was going to need a larger one when she reached 15 or 16 years old. This one wouldn't have the size or power she would want for much longer.

Almost everything on the trailer could wait. A lot of it would only get unloaded days from now. For now the Range Rover had to get unpacked along with the coolers on the trailer.

It took a lot of work to get the freezers down in the basement filled. At the end they were both just barely dragging their suitcases up the stairs to their bedrooms.

Alexis would have told her dad goodnight, but frankly she was just way too tired to do even that.


	2. Chapter 2

**CH2**

Alexis was awake and only thing she could figure out was that the sun was up. She was still in the clothes she had been wearing the day before.

Sitting up on the bed, on since she hadn't even made it under the sheets, Alexis noticed a few things.

She didn't smell breakfast, but what she did smell was that the sheets needed to be washed, BAD! And her suitcases had barely made it in her room. Also if the sheets smelled like this all the clothes that had been left in her closet from last year probably also needed to be cleaned.

Alexis got up and took a shower. Just like expected they had hot water, though it was probably all from the tankless units meaning she was using propane, since the solar hot water had been turned on when it was dark outside and hadn't had sun for long.

Downstairs she found her dad outside unloading the trailer. "Morning dad."

"Hi pumpkin how did you sleep?" Rick was concerned about her. She had done more yesterday then she ever had in the past.

"Like the dead. We need to do laundry, the sheets stink." Alexis tells him.

"Sorry pumpkin I didn't notice. The only thing I did notice was that I was still wearing yesterday's clothes. …. You want to take the beds apart and start a load of laundry. We'll do the rest later after the solar hot water system has had a chance to catch up.

Then you can tackle loading the pantry. I'll unload the trailer of everything I can today including the pellets." Rick asks her.

"Piece of cake dad." And Alexis heads upstairs to take the sheets off the beds. Followed by taking boxes out of the Range Rover and loading the pantry with what they brought.

The pantry was already almost half full from previous trips. They always bought more than they needed for the summer and left the rest of it behind for next year. Eventually they would reach a point where they didn't need to bring as much.

Alexis had only just started when her stomach growled. Only one thing to do. "Want some lunch dad?" Alexis asks him still unloading the trailer.

"Thought you'd never ask." Rick drops what he had just picked up off of the trailer and followed her inside.

Lunch was simple, just a sandwich and chips with water and some of the fresh fruit that wasn't going to last long if they didn't eat it.

Then back to their tasks, they still had a lot to do.

After a few hours of un-boxing and un-loading the trailer, they took a break and drank some water.

They both went upstairs to grab some of the clothes they had left behind and brought it down to the laundry and started doing a number of loads, followed by another break.

Alexis was done before Rick was done unloading the trailer. Yes, it had a lot strapped down to it, a whole lot.

"I'm going to go check the garden dad." Alexis tells him.

Rick slumps before trying to pick up yet another item off of the trailer. He was tired. "Ok pumpkin, let me know what you find." Rick tells her and picks up the next item after she leaves.

Rick wasn't going to finish unloading the trailer today. There was just too much to move. It had taken him and Alexis days to load it and strap it down. Admittedly that was the hard part, but still ….

Rick had just dropped what he was carrying. **"DAD!"**

Alexis sounded panicked. So he grabbed the first improvised weapon he could find and ran for the garden. The thought that his daughter was in trouble giving him new energy.

Once he reached the backyard area off to one side he saw Alexis standing all alone in what used to be their garden.

Rick slowly walked out to her thankful that she was alright. He touched her to get her attention.

"Dad?" Alexis was crying. Rick looked around after checking to make sure Alexis was alright.

The garden was a mess. It was dug up, full of holes and ripped to shreds. "Looks like we had a winter visitor." Rick offers.

Alexis turns into him and Rick wraps his arms around her and lets her cry it out.

The garden was her idea. Alexis had started it when she was 6 years old and had kept it up and even expanded it every year after.

Alexis had carrots, radish, potatoes, turnips, beets and he didn't know what all left over from last year. She had brought new plants for peas, lettuce and two different kinds of tomatoes with her this year. It looked like she was going to have to start all over from scratch.

Rick rubbed circles on her back to try and soothe her. "I'll take over laundry and start dinner pumpkin. It's probably just some wild animal looking for an easy meal over a difficult winter." Rick offers.

Alexis nods her head, her father was probably right. "I'll check everything else out back after this load. You know where your tools are."

Rick doesn't move until Alexis steps away to start touring what's left and what to do first. He felt bad for her, the garden was her baby.

Rick emptied the dryer and took everything upstairs. After this things would get hung up outside. Next he went out back finding Alexis out in the garden picking things out of what was left of her garden and dropping them into a container.

Rick went over to clear out the fire pit, then check the modern grill. After that he went over to the shell of their future greenhouse.

They had poured the slab one year and brought in the kit for construction the following year. They were going to put it together this year. Rick still had to unload the pots they were going to use off of the trailer.

Palram Mythos 6-Feet by 8-Feet Greenhouse, Silver Frame, Twin Wall

Sturdy, rust resistant aluminum, bolt together frame

Roof vent, gutter and galvanized steel base included

Excellent thermal insulation with polycarbonate twin wall panels

Virtually unbreakable, 100% UV protected twin wall panels

They also had to unload the storage bag on top of the Range Rover, but what was in it could wait.

Thule 857 Caravan Roof Cargo Bag

**Stealth Titan SE 7' x 16' Ramp Door Tandem Axle**

Overall Length: 17' 8" Width: 8' 6"

Between the trailer, roof cargo bag and the interior of the Range Rover with the rear seats folded down, they had lots of cargo capacity and a whole lot of stuff to unload.

Rick checked the outhouse's. They were still locked up tight and the patio furniture looked to be in good shape. While he was at the patio furniture he unlocked all the cables holding them in place.

Then he went inside to start dinner. They still had a lot to do but it was only their first full day.

Rick went out back. "DINNER." He yelled at Alexis who was still out in her garden trying to put it back together.

Once she was inside he saw the mess that was his daughter. He couldn't help but laugh at her. She was a mess. But he was thankful that his daughter had a green thumb. Getting the greenhouse had been her idea.

They still had to put it together but they had also brought an easier to construct greenhouse kit that didn't need a concrete base for it to sit on. Actually the other one probably didn't either but Rick liked the idea of it being more permanent.

STRONG CAMEL New Hot Green House 12'X7'X7' Larger Walk In Outdoor Plant Gardening Greenhouse

Size: 12'x7'x7'(365cmX215cmx215cm),135G/M2 Green checker, The cover is UV protected.

6 pcs white mosquito window, 1 pcs door with white zipper ,Easy to set up and portable ,Idea for garden & backyard.

Full closed cover maintains high humidity levels for growing tropical plants, vegetables, fruiting plants and herbs.

This greenhouse in your backyard extends your growing season no matter where you live

In addition, you can save money by starting your plants from seeds or cuttings.

Their first year out here they had planted some rather young fruit trees. Two different types of apple trees, pear trees, blue plums and sour cherries are all that had survived to date. The apricots, sweet cherries, red plums and peaches had all died over the years.

With the greenhouse's, garden and the fruit trees they had high hopes for fresh fruit instead of having to rely on freeze dried.

Alexis looked down at herself and grinned. She was going to look like this for days to come. There was a lot to do to get her garden back into shape.

After a quick shower she was back downstairs for dinner.

"How is it?" Rick didn't know anything about gardening so he wasn't going to be any help. His only help was going to be putting the two greenhouse's they now had up. After that it was going to be all Alexis.

"There are a few salvageable things, but it's mostly gone. I've only just finished getting the holes filled in and the garden back into useable planting rows. We are going to have to do without anything fresh for a little while.

Can you put up at least one of the greenhouses tomorrow? That way I can start plantings and move them out to the garden. It'll take a couple of months but we could have something eventually." Alexis asks of him.

"I can get the Camel greenhouse up in the morning. The other is going to take a little more time. Is that enough for you to get started with?" Rick still had a lot to unload off of the trailer plus the cargo bag. And he still had to inspect the water pipe at the spring as well as the pump.

Then he wanted to wash down all of the solar panels on top of the house. Make sure they were free of debris and that none of them were damaged over the winter.

"It's pretty big I just need to set up the tables. Are the pots out of the trailer?" Alexis asks needing those to get started with.

"Not yet, but I can get to those while you set up the shelves." Rick offers her.

"Thanks dad." Alexis knew he was pushing himself. Even after they had everything unloaded they still had to clean the place after its long winter nap.

The two decided to just relax for the rest of the evening except for running loads of laundry and hanging it all up outside. They only had just so much propane though they did have a few of those little propane tanks you used for grills on the trailer still or out in the carport from last year. Those were for emergency backup since they weren't going to be getting any more this year.

Just a little before they come out here Rick had arranged for the local propane company to come out with a pair of trucks to fill their tanks. At a little over $5 a gallon and two 500 gallon tanks, you do the math.

Thought technically you can only fill any propane tank to 75% to 80% of its capacity. Propane is delivered as a liquid however you can only burn it as a gas (vapor). Hence the limitation.

Alexis had enough for one day. She hadn't planned on having to replace her garden so she was mentally tired as well as physically tired. "Night dad." As Alexis headed upstairs for her bed with clean sheets.

"Night pumpkin." Rick responded.

Rick stayed up a little longer reflecting on their previous and future summer vacations out here.

It had taken a lot of work to get the house built out here in the middle of pretty much nowhere. They were totally isolated. He didn't even know of any tree harvesting trails in the area.

They didn't have city water or any other city services. They even had to pack out their own trash each year. They had no cell phone service and no satellite TV service. Even Direct TV had wanted to be able to connect to a phone line that they didn't have.

Rick had wanted to at least get a satellite phone for emergencies, however Alexis had talked him out of it. If they were going to leave the city she wanted to be out of the city and off the grid completely. No phones, no tablets, no internet.

Since Rick was a writer she had allowed him to bring his laptop to write on to write his next book with. Rick had however talked her into letting him have a 60" HDTV. They didn't have any TV service but they did have a Blue-ray player and a large selection of DVD's to watch.

They even had some new ones they had not yet watched that they had brought with them on this trip.

To be this isolated they did have weapons and Alexis had learned how to use a couple of them just in case.

Smith & Wesson revolver that fires .460 rounds though it can also fire .454 rounds and .45 long colt ammo.

Henry Big Boy firing a .44 Rem. Mag. Cartridge.

T/C Venture Predator firing a .22-250 Cartridge.

Springfield XD-S firing either 9mm or .45 Cartridge. In this case Rick had chosen the .45 model.

The T/C was the first gun Rick had given her any training on. It was only last year that he had let her fire any rounds from the XD-S. It was still just too big for her to handle properly.

Alexis didn't get to go on any of his hunting trips. Alexis had complained that she was a big girl and she could help. However Rick had put his foot down. He conceded that he might take her with him on her 16th birthday, maybe.

By morning the solar hot water system was fully functional so they used less propane this time for their hot showers.

Breakfast was filled with fresh perishables. Things like milk and cheese had to be used up quickly before they went bad. However they had a plan to solve this problem.

Ricki's Basic Cheese Making Kit

This kit makes eight delicious, homemade cheeses: Farmhouse Cheddar, Gouda, Monterey Jack, Feta, Cottage Cheese, Colby, Parmesan and Ricotta.  
With this kit you will be able to make 10 two pound batches of cheese.

With a little effort and a lot of fun, you can make your very own preservative free cheeses! Start now and make this a family tradition. Our kit comes with detailed recipes, demystifying all the steps in the cheese making process.

They planned to freeze these cheese's for later, a task they were going to have to start and finish soon.

Alexis went out to her garden to finish getting it ready for planting.

Rick kept his word and had erected the Camel greenhouse for Alexis to use. Then he went back to unloading the trailer. He needed to find her pots and other stuff for the greenhouses.

By lunch Alexis was working in the greenhouse while Rick started work on unloading the roof cargo bag.

By dinner Rick was done unloading everything from the cargo bag and was bone tired. Alexis had gotten a good start on her greenhouse plantings but still needed more work.

"I'll get your other greenhouse up tomorrow if you'll start the first cheese making kit. We need to use them all up while we still have the milk." Rick offers.

"Have you looked at the outhouses?" Alexis asked him. Power was a basic need and they needed it to work properly.

"Yea, it's working fine. Whoever your winter visitor was they don't seem interested in power cables. After the greenhouse is up I'm going to go take a look at our water pipe and pump." Rick tells her his intentions.

"I'll split my time between the greenhouse's and making cheese. Couple more days and we should be able to just relax a little." Alexis is hopeful anyway.

"I'm looking forward to it. My muscles will be happy too." Rick chuckles. Getting a smile from Alexis.

The first days here were always hard on them. There was always so much to do. So many things to check and repair if necessary.


	3. Chapter 3

**CH3**

Come morning Alexis went back out to her greenhouse while Rick constructed the other greenhouse. However this time he needed Alexis's help with the panels. She had to hold some of the panels in place while he bolted them together.

Rick was done by lunch and Alexis was almost ready to start using the second greenhouse.

"I'm going out to the water pipe and pump after lunch. You ok to be alone for a while?" Rick asks her.

"I'll be fine dad, we've never had any visitors in the times we've been here. Our winter guest isn't likely to return till winter again. Are you going to take a gun or any of the traps with you?" Alexis asks him.

"I had planned on taking the S&W with me but hadn't thought about taking any of the traps. That's not a bad idea actually." Rick smiles at her.

Rick puts a few traps in his back pack and grabs his S&W and checks in with Alexis in the greenhouse to tell her he is leaving.

"Happy hunting dad." Alexis tells him smiling looking dirty again.

Rick walked and walked until he reached the edge of the little forest that bordered the stream. Looking back he could see the house in the distance.

It was near the edge of the forest area but far enough away that if any of the larger trees fell none of them would hit the house. There was a large expanse of open valley that the house sat in on a little hill, elevating it above everything else.

He could see the Range Rover still sitting out front, the two greenhouse's out back with the garden just the other side of them. It looked a little lonely all alone out there. The solar panels on the roof made it sparkle while the sun hit them.

A little further out were all the fruit trees, bunched together based on what fruit they produced.

The house itself was sitting on roughly 63 acres of land they owned. A good section of the stream and a lot of the trees on either side as well. If one followed the stream upstream you would find a small lake that was not part of his land.

Still it was a good place to go camping. They had in the past and planned on doing it again once or twice this summer as well. It was what the quads were used for mostly. Though they also used them to haul fire wood for the fire pit that they got from dead trees only. Cutting down a perfectly healthy tree just to burn it was stupid.

Besides green wood didn't burn all that well.

Turning back to the main task at hand he trekked into the woods to get to the stream.

He soon came across the pipe since it was above ground here. He checked each of the anchors that held the pipe in place, noting that he stupidly forgot to bring any tools in case the pipe was loose at any point.

He finally made it to the stream and checked the pipe entrance noticing that the screen was a little clogged with debris. After cleaning away the debris he went back down the pipe to look at the pump house.

The housing was in good shape and didn't look like there were any cracks or signs of damage.

Satisfied he pulled out his water bottle and took a drink before moving on.

He brought three traps with him and he spent a couple of hours setting them up spreading them out a little from each other and then tagging a nearby tree so he knew where they were located, so he could find them easily later to check on them.

All of them were on the ground. He was hoping for something larger. Rabbit, possum or raccoon. It had taken him a few tries to get the recipes down on how to cook them.

Each has a different taste to them and it took him some time to make them appeal to Alexis's finicky taste buds. But she had finally warmed up to the gamey taste of them.

Finishing his task he started his trek back to the house. Once back home he checked in with Alexis and told her what he had found along with that he had set three traps and had marked their place with little color markers attached to a tree.

"I'm going to wash off all the solar cells now." Rick informs her.

"Let me know if you need help dad." Alexis offers and watches him walk away to start his next job.

Finding the extension ladder and grabbing a 75' hose and a sprayer he started work on washing any debris off of all the solar cells. The ones on the second floor roof were the only ones that gave him any trouble.

Rick finally finished and he went inside and found Alexis working on one of the cheese kits. It was her third with three more to go.

"How is the greenhouse?" Rick asks since he wants to know if they will be eating fresh this trip.

"The greenhouses should get things started nicely. I've moved the strawberry plants that survived into the greenhouse so we should have at least a few fresh strawberries in a couple of months. Then I'll transfer some of them back outside.

I've also started the potatoes and lettuce in the greenhouse and I've got a lot of things as seeds that I've started that the greenhouse will help grow.

We are going to be short on fresh fruit for a little while but with two greenhouses' we should catch up eventually." Alexis is good and he knows it so Rick is betting she is under estimating.

"Nice work pumpkin I'm impressed and proud of you." Rick tells her.

Alexis can't help but blush a little. "You've done a lot of work while I've been in the greenhouse. I'm impressed and proud of you too. How do you feel?" Alexis was betting his muscles were soar.

"Honestly, I'm tired. A few more projects tomorrow and then we can sit back and relax and enjoy the location." Rick tells her.

"If you want to finish the last of the cheese kits I can go back out to the greenhouses. If I finish before dinner I can help you with what's left tomorrow." Alexis offers.

Speed up the process? Sounded like a no-brainer to Rick. "Deal." As Rick takes over for Alexis.

Alexis smiles at him and heads back out to the greenhouse's.

By dinner she had every pot or tray for seeds filled and sitting in the greenhouse and her garden while only a shadow of its former self was put back together.

Stepping inside she could smell dinner. "Smells good dad." Alexis was suddenly very hungry.

"You better go shower again pumpkin. You're a mess again." Rick tells her before she gets too close to the kitchen.

Alexis looks herself over yet again and chuckles. She may have a green thumb and can grow anything but she was a messy green thumb. "I'll only be 10 minutes dad." And she runs upstairs.

A few minutes later she was back dressed in clean clothes with her hair still a little wet. "God I'm starving."

Turns out they both were hungry. "How are the medical provisions?" Alexis asks with her mouth full. Too hungry for manners.

"The blood is in the mini-fridge, the plasma is in its cabinet in the pantry along with some of the supplies. Including all of our pain killers and the three different broad spectrum anti-biotics.

One of the **EPMK - Level 4**** kits **is down here in the pantry. Another is out in the carport storage along with all our camping gear. The third is upstairs in the bathroom storage closet.

The defibrillator is also up there. The EPMK – Level 1 kits are in each bedroom closet and there is one hanging over there on the wall at the front door.

All of the air splints are also upstairs in the bathroom closet. All of the saline is down here in the pantry. Have I missed anything?" Rick knows some of it is scattered but it all has to go somewhere.

"First responder backpack?" Alexis asks thinking there was one more somewhere.

"Oh yea, that one is also out with all the camping gear. I was thinking we take it and maybe a couple of air splints when we go camping." Rick tells her.

"You'll probably have to wear it since the quads will already be packed to overflowing." Alexis warns him.

"I know but we will be 2 days even on quads from here. If we need medical that would be the one to take." Rick tells her. Getting a nod from Alexis as she continues to eat like a horse.

There were still a few things to complete but they were both tired so they put a movie in the DVD player and they both only made it half way through before they fell asleep on the sofa.

When Rick woke first he found that the movie was over. He turned it all off and picked Alexis up and took her upstairs to her bed. He took her shoes off then covered her and left her to sleep.

Come morning after a shower they were both downstairs eating breakfast. "We need to check out the quads, probably change out the plugs and fire them up and maybe go for a little ride.

The batteries need to be individually tested and replaced with one of the three we brought up with us and we need to finish the last of the cheese kits." Rick lists of the items for this morning. "Then we need to do a cleaning of all the rooms, things are a little dusty in here."

Opening the windows during midday had helped clear the air, but it still got a little cool at night.

"I'll finish the cheese kits then come help you with the batteries. But the quad's are all yours." Alexis didn't know anything about them. She could start them and ride them, but if it didn't start it was left to her dad to fix it.

Rick was almost done with the batteries when Alexis showed up to help him. They only had to replace one of the batteries. The other two were left in the outhouse for future use.

Rick went off to check out the quads while Alexis went inside to make lunch.

"Lunch is ready dad." Alexis comes out to the carport to tell him. After washing up Rick joined her.

"Are they working?" Alexis asks wanting to go for a quick ride later.

"I have to change the plugs on one of them still, after that we'll see." Rick tells her.

After lunch Rick goes back to work on the quads while Alexis starts cleaning. She had just finished doing the main floor when she could her one of the quads running as her dad gunned it a few times before turning it off.

She was almost down upstairs when she heard the other start up. She could tell that one was her fathers. It had a different sound then hers.

Alexis went out to the carport and grabbed both helmets poking her father in the side with his.

Rick took it smiling at her. Rick wasn't slow he knew this meant she was anxious to get going on a tour of their land. Taking his helmet he put it on finding Alexis with hers already on and sitting on her quad ready to fire it up.

Rick started his followed by Alexis and Alexis took off with Rick in hot pursuit.

They made it to the far end of their land when Alexis stopped and took her helmet off. Rick pulled up next to her and took his off too.

Alexis was grinning wide. "Having fun pumpkin?" Knowing the answer already if her smile was any indication.

"It's great dad! I haven't seen anything though." Alexis hadn't seen any wildlife on their little tour.

"It's the noise from the quads, it drives them off before we can even get within sight of them." Rick reminds her.

"Yea, they're not exactly stealthy. But sooooo much fun though." Alexis was still grinning.

"Shall we take at look at the far side and then head home?" Rick asks her. Getting a nod from Alexis and watches her put her helmet back on.

Rick follows her example and fires his quad back up and takes off after Alexis again.

They stop one more time and look around a little before getting back on and head home.

Once home they park the quads and go inside to clean up. Alexis heads out to her greenhouses while Rick goes inside to start fixing dinner.

For once since they got here Alexis comes back inside from the greenhouse clean and ready for dinner.

"The only thing left is to set up the patio furniture tomorrow. Maybe tomorrow night we can have our first campfire." Rick offers.

"With marshmallows and hot dogs?" Alexis asks excitedly.

"Of course what would a campfire be without food." Rick tries to sound shocked.

"Woo hoo." Alexis raises her arms. Getting a grin from Rick.

Summer vacation was finally going to start.

However they both woke up in the middle of the night to the sound of rain. This might ruin any plans for tomorrow as they tried to go back to sleep.

Come morning it was still raining and they could hear it. Alexis got out of the shower and went downstairs in search of breakfast. However her father wasn't down here. She had heard him take a shower before her so he was up.

He might be down in the basement but she couldn't think of a reason why. It was rain not a tornado, wasn't it? No, if it was he would have come gotten her.

"Dad, you up there?" Alexis yells upstairs.

Getting nothing back she goes to the side door to see if he was out in the carport doing something.

Not seeing him, she closed the door and went to the back door that lead to the patio. She could see him standing out there near the end just barely in the dry area.

Alexis closes the door behind her and goes up to stand next to him. She saw him looking up so she did the same, wanting to see what he sees.

"Wow, that is dark." Alexis notices the clouds.

"It's dark out the front too. Whatever it is it's big." Rick tells her.

"I heard it start last night. There is some wind with it too." Getting Rick to nod his head.

They stood there for a while watching the clouds swirl and rain. "You want breakfast?" Alexis asks him.

Rick nods his head. "I'll be in, in a minute." Letting Alexis go in first while he watches it rain.

It was going to fill their little cistern easily if it kept this up. It was only used by Alexis for her garden in case they didn't get enough rain to suit her.

Rick went inside eventually and ate what his daughter had fixed for them.

They were trapped inside for the rest of the day since it never did stop raining.

Alexis watched movies or read books or talked her dad into playing a board game.

Rick started working on his next book only stopping to eat or join his daughter to play a game.

They went to sleep that night listening to it rain.

Come morning after a shower Alexis found her father back outside looking at the sky and watching it rain.

"The clouds are moving but it's always dark clouds." Rick comments when he notices Alexis next to him.

"It'll keep everything wet and prevent there being a forest fire." Alexis thinks of it her way.

"It's going to turn your garden into a mud pit." Rick teases her.

"Nothing I can't fix." Alexis doesn't take the bait.

"Breakfast?" Alexis asks him.

"You can start I'll be in, in a minute." Rick tells her.

Once again they were trapped inside due to the rain. Another movie, board game and Rick typing on his new book, the day passed with it never stopping to rain.

It rained solid for another three days. Even Alexis knew her garden was a mud pit and was going to need work when it stopped and dried out enough for her to get to it.

Rick was making progress on his book since there wasn't much else to do.

On the third day of solid rain, Alexis was up first and she went in to take a shower. "Dad, there isn't any water." Alexis calls out.

Rick knocks on the door and is told he can come in. Rick turns on the lavatory faucet and gets nothing.

"The pipe must be clogged with debris from the rain. "I'll go switch to well water. Don't forget to use the purifier from now on just in case." Rick tells her and he heads downstairs.

"Not a problem dad, I'll remember." Alexis calls after him.

Rick comes back upstairs eventually and knocks on the bathroom door. "The water should be back on."

Alexis turns the shower on. "Thanks dad." After she is done she goes downstairs and her and her father repeat what they have done the last few days today too.

Next morning it was still raining. And Alexis found her father out on the back patio again watching the sky.

"This is not usual pumpkin. We're going to have our own pond to swim in if it doesn't stop soon." Rick comments chuckling at his own humor a little.

"It must be quite a system to put out this much rain." Alexis agrees. Wondering what could do this.

"Pumpkin, wasn't there a hurricane out there somewhere before we left. If memory serves they were thinking it was going to go up the east coast and make a mess of everything." Rick offers a possible reason for this.

Alexis thinks back. "Hurricane Sandy wasn't it?" Not that she paid much attention to it.

"We get rain and the coast gets flooded due to storm surge and damaged due to high winds." Rick agrees it is probably a hurricane.

"If it is it should blow out tonight and be clear by morning shouldn't it?" Alexis asks.

"Depends on how much ground speed this one has. If it is stalled out there somewhere it could rain for several more days. However it is likely still moving and will be gone soon." Rick agrees.

"I hope so; even after it stops raining this place is going to be one big mud pit. The ground is going to be soaked." Alexis moans. She was already tired of being trapped indoors.

Rick nods his head. "It'll take a few days for the ground to dry."

"Then we get to check for damage and fix what we find." Alexis moans. She was hoping they were done working on this place, now this.

"We'll get our summer vacation started eventually, it just may take another week before we can." Rick notes.


	4. Chapter 4

**CH4**

Come morning the rain had stopped though it was still a little cloudy.

The area around them looked like a swamp practically. Alexis could make out her garden from the back patio and it didn't look to be in too bad a shape. The ground was going to need to dry some before they could venture very far from the house.

Unless they wanted to lose a shoe in the mud. From the distance it looked like both greenhouse's had weathered the rain in good shape. Rick figured he was going to have to inspect all the solar panels too.

First however was checking out the water pipe when it was dry enough to take a quad with him.

He decided to go out and load the quad with what he might need just to be ready.

It was three more days of cabin fever before either of them dared to venture outside.

Alexis checked on the greenhouses first then moved on to her garden. While Rick took his already packed quad and headed for the stream to check the water pipe.

The roar of the quad prevented him from hearing the roar of the stream, but what he found stopped him dead in his tracks.

Their little stream was now a river! And it was running fast. He didn't even get to the tree line before he had to stop. He didn't see the pipe. It was probably under several feet of water.

It might be weeks before the river went back to being a stream and he could check on the pipe and the pump. If the pump was gone that would be trouble. They didn't have a replacement for it. He had the piping and what he needed to replace the screen if necessary. He could even anchor it all to the ground again.

But if the pump was damaged or washed away, they were screwed.

Rick stood there staring at this mess for a while. Their favorite campsite up at the lake was probably under water too. Going camping just got delayed for a few weeks.

At least they could get out of the house now though.

Rick drove back and informed Alexis of what he found. They had water just not the water they should be using. Plus their little cistern was filled to overflowing. So long as they took precautions they would be fine.

Since the water pipe was out for a while, Rick turned his attention to inspecting the solar panels.

There had been some wind with the rain and he didn't need for any of them to have come loose in the storm. He was done by lunch and joined Alexis inside.

"Except for the water pipe and maybe the pump it looks to all be in good shape." Rick tells her.

"The greenhouses came thru with flying colors too. I added some more stakes to the Camel one just to be safe.

The garden is a little worse for wear but nothing that can't be fixed." Alexis adds what she found.

"Think there are any downed trees on the road out?" Alexis was thinking far ahead when it was time to leave.

"Probably more than one. We may need to stay in town before going home. It may take some time to clear the road." Rick agrees. Getting a nod from Alexis.

They had cleared it on the way in. Clearing it on the way out would simply take longer, but they have had practice. Piece of cake.

It had been three weeks now and Alexis had warned him that with all that rain there was going to be a sudden burst of wild flowers in the valley, and she was right.

Standing on the back porch looking out into the valley is was alive with color. Picture postcard perfect.

"Can we put out kites together and fly them?" Alexis asks him one morning.

Rick had checked the water pipe every couple of days. The river was going down but he still couldn't see the pipe to know what had happened to it.

"Sure, I think the kits are out with the camping gear." Rick tells her.

"YES! I'll get them." And Alexis is off at a run.

It took a little time but they were finally finished. They had built them out on the back patio, that way they were already outside since they didn't know if they would fit thru the door.

**X-Kites 3D Supersize Pirate Ship**

Supersize fun

3 dimensional

Ready to Fly

72 inches long

Fiberglass frame

WindnSun DinoSoars Pterodactyl Nylon Kite-64 Inches Tall

Vibrant colors!

Ripstop fabric

Comes with handle and string

Ready to fly

They took them out into the valley floor covered with wild flowers and started to get ready to get them into the air.

They had a reel like device on one end that you could stick into the ground and just let the kites fly once you got them up there. Then you could wind them back in when you wanted them back down.

Alexis's kite was first up in the air. Rick did all the running while Alexis launched it.

They had to move off to one side to keep the strings from getting tangled, and Rick's was next.

Soon they had both of them soaring high up in the sky with the reels firmly planted in the ground.

"Way cool dad." Alexis loved it.

"If they are still up tomorrow we can try to get the other two up with them." Rick offers.

"**COOL!"** Alexis was ready.

X-Kites 3D Supersize Red Baron

Supersize fun

3 dimensional

Ready to Fly

39 inches wingspan

Fiberglass frame

Bird Kite, Paradise, 70" x 36"

Frame: Fiberglass & Hardwood Dowels Fabric: Ripstop Nylon

That night after they had all their kites up in the air they finally had their first campfire with marshmallows and hot dogs.

"This is great dad. Campfire, roasting things, nothing but stars, clean air, no car horns." Alexis just stops and sighs soaking it all in.

"I didn't know you hated the city so much." Rick is a little taken back.

"Oh I don't hate it dad. All my friends are there, there is lots of places to go, things to see and do. But it's different there. I guess I can't explain it." Alexis looks down. As smart as she is maybe she's just not old enough.

"I think I get it pumpkin. Things are slower here. You can actually hear yourself think. No one is after you to be someone you're not. No teachers or friends expecting things from you that you don't know you can deliver or just don't want to.

A country girl living in the big city perhaps." Rick offers.

"Maybe. I'm not sure I want to live here forever. But it is nice here. …. Thanks dad." Alexis finally tells him.

"You're welcome pumpkin. I'm just glad you're enjoying it. Maybe in a week or two we can go on the camping trip. I want to wait for the river to be a stream again. At least enough to know if the pipe is damaged." Rick offers.

"Camping by the lake, swimming in frozen water, fishing from the shore line, cooking on an open fire, sleeping on hard almost still frozen ground, …" But she's interrupted by her dad.

"Oh yea you've got it ruff all right. Getting there on quads instead of hiking it, sleeping on an air mattress in a $300 sleeping bag that you could survive Antarctica in, eating gourmet food that has been pre-made and stored in Tupperware.

For one WHOLE week." Getting Alexis to giggle. "And here you have a house with a nice comfy bed, hot showers every morning, food when you want it, A/C when it gets too hot and heat when it gets too cold, …." Rick is interrupted by Alexis.

"Oh stop dad, like you would be out here if you didn't have all those things?"Alexis challenges. She knows her dad is a big softy and if they didn't have quads to go camping with, they would never even leave the house.

This gets Rick to chuckle. His daughter does seem to know him pretty well.

It was a few more days before Rick could see the pipe and the pump housing. The pump housing was still there but all the pipe after that out to the stream, that was still bigger than he remembered was gone.

Rick was thankful for that. This he could fix. He had everything he needed with him. It was just going to take a little time, and get him wet.

He was done and back at the house when Alexis spotted him. "What happened to you? Did you fall in?" Rick looked worse than she ever did while working on her garden.

"The pipe from the pump to the use to be stream, but is now more river, was all gone. So I had to replace it all." Rick explains looking like a wet soggy and very dirty rat. "Plus the water is cold." Rick shivers to drive home his point.

"Well go shower and I'll see if I can find something hot for us to eat." Alexis offers.

"Thanks pumpkin." As Rick slogs his way to the bathroom.

"Can we go camping tomorrow now?" Alexis yells after him.

"You planning on helping load the quads?" Rick yells back.

Alexis grumbles to herself a little. She wanted to go camping to get even further away from civilization, not do still more work.

"Yea, fine." Alexis grumbles some more.

Rick is grinning as he enters the bathroom to get out of his clothes and into a nice hot shower. A hot shower that he wasn't going to see for at least a week after today.

It took them two hours to load and strap down everything they were going to take with them. Food, water purifiers, two tents, ground cloths, clothes (including a swim suit just in case), fishing gear, rifle and the S&W, first aid backpack, axe/hammer, sleeping bag(s), cooler (2), cooking/eating utensils, paper towels, trash bags, soap, toilet paper, ziplock bags, personal items, shampoo, sunscreen/chapstick, lantern(s), flashlight, OFF, camping chairs, popcorn, cards, small shovel, work gloves (2 pair), travel sewing kit, powdered Kool-aid, tang, pocket knife, bee sting kit, blanket, rope, road flares, flare gun, ammunition, binoculars, (smores fixins), skewers, 3 traps, and a grill to put over the campfire. And of course gasoline to get back with.

Alexis had even found room on her quad to pack a few MRE's. Not that she was telling her dad. He would make her take them off.

Rick had considered getting a trailer for his quad to pull but they just didn't have the space to bring it up here with.

Ricks quad was the biggest and could hold the most and with him wearing the first responder backpack he was getting heavy.

"Let's roll pumpkin if we want to get there before noon tomorrow. Is the house locked up tight?" Rick asks. Not likely that anyone will come by, but it pays to be careful.

"All set dad." Alexis assures him as she fires up her quad after putting on her helmet.

Alexis knew the way, she had been there often enough, so she lead the way.

They stopped for lunch and then made camp for the night and heated up their dinner. Alexis pulled out the Kool-aid and made some for both of them.

Tents, ground cloths, air mattress and sleeping bag also came out. They scavenged for fire wood for the night.

This far out they could hear the wildlife near and far. The fire would keep most of them far enough away from them that it wasn't a worry.

There weren't going to be any showers until they got to the lake, so after a light breakfast, packing it all back on the quads they were off again.

It was just past lunch when they reached the lake. Last time they were out here they had seen a little plateau not far away that they were going to look at next time.

Reaching it they found a place to park and started looking at it.

"It doesn't look too hard." Alexis comments. Rick however wasn't so sure. "I'll go dad. You can throw up some rope, the axe and an anchor." And Alexis gets started.

Being a kid has its advantages. Alexis went up with no trouble at all. Once on top she disappeared from view. "Alexis?" Rick yelled after her.

"Just looking around dad." Alexis yelled back.

Alexis shows up back at the edge. "It's great dad, more than big enough. Throw up the stuff."

Rick tosses what she needs up and listens to her pound with the axe/hammer. Soon the rope falls over the side, and Rick grabs it and climbs his way up.

"Wow, nice pumpkin. The tents can go there, the fire can go here. … It looks like we can set up a kind of elevator over the side here to get water up here with from the lake. NICE!" Rick turns to her grinning.

He sees Alexis getting ready to go back down. "Where you going?"

"I'm going to tie things off to the end of the rope so you can haul it all up, little by little." Alexis tells him, leaving off the DUH!

Eventually everything but the quads was up top. They got to work setting up camp. With a trench around the tents that lead downhill towards the lake. Setting up the ladder took a little longer. Once done they went back down and fired up the quads to go collect wood and lots of it.

The wood got bundled together using more of the rope and hauled up to the plateau and stacked to one side far away from the fire pit.

While they were out collecting wood Rick set up his three traps and tagged the trees they were near.

They had missed lunch setting up camp but dinner was something they didn't miss. If the traps worked the food they brought would last longer.

Rick was still using their original tent when Alexis was younger and sleeping in the same tent with him. Alexis however now had her own tent. Leaving more room to put most of what they brought with them in his tent.

Coleman 4-person Evanston Tent with Screened Porch Canopy 9 Ft x 7 Ft Fits Queen Bed

Glass Fiber Pole Instant Tent, Expedition Tent, Double Deck Tent for Hiking And Camping.

Grizzly 2 Person -25 Degree Canvas Sleeping Bag (Blue)

Black Pine Hunta's -15 Degree fleece lined canvas Sleeping Bag (Blue/Black)

Next morning they went for a hike around the lake and back. On the way back Rick checked his traps and found a rabbit in one of them. With a little work it became dinner that night.

They also used the quads to collect more firewood.

Sitting there looking out over the lake perched up high on their plateau. "This is great dad. We should have found this place earlier." Alexis loved the view. There weren't any trees to obscure their view and the moon reflected off the lake, lighting up the place.

Rick agreed silently. It was quiet and tranquil and he didn't want to mess it up.

Come morning they were outside looking out over the lake thinking about breakfast when they heard this roar that seemed to have a crackling sound to it too.

"Is that a jet dad?" Alexis was wondering what the noise is.

"If it is it's way off course, but I don't see anything." Rick answers confused as to what it could be too.

"It sounds like it's getting closer." Alexis notes the increase in noise.

Then they could hear something breaking. "It sounds like trees breaking and falling." Alexis comments looking around still not seeing anything.

Suddenly several trees were breaking behind them and something flashed by just above their heads and headed along the edge of the lake and crashed into the trees not far away.

"What was that? A plane crash?" Alexis asks since it was fast and she didn't make out much detail.

Rick shook his head. "I didn't see any wings. Though the wings may have been sheared off by the trees. …. Go grab the first response kit, the shovel and the two emergency blankets." Rick tells her. While he grabs the axe/hammer, rope and the S&W revolver.

"Where we going dad?" Alexis is still a little shocked by what she saw.

"If it was a plane crash the occupants may be injured, and we're the only ones around here so we are going to go see if we can help." Rick tells her.

Alexis goes to her dads tent and comes back with the first response backpack and goes to her tent to get the emergency blankets.

Once down at the quads they put on their helmets. "Lead the way pumpkin." Rick tells her.

Together they fire of their quads and head out for the crash site.


	5. Chapter 5

**CH5**

Kate was in her room changing into her dress clothes. She was expected to attend the Captain's mess in his room along with several other senior staff on the ship.

Kate really hated this part of ship living. She had to play nice and put up a front. All this play acting just wasn't her style. She was the chief security office on this ship and as such was also the only armed person on this ship.

Kate was also expertly trained and knew how to kill or disable a person in countless different ways. Her instructor or Master if you prefer had told her that she was too volatile. That she should learn to control her emotions and channel them into something constructive.

Even now she was prone to outbursts. Just now instead of breaking heads she went to her room and broke other things, like her hand while punching the door or the wall separating her room from the one next to her.

In fact she had just gotten back from medical to have her hand tended to, yet again.

Kate was dressed and the last to arrive. "Ah Detective Beckett, nice of you to join us." The Captain comments. Kate wasn't late, just last.

"Yes sir, thank you for the invitation." Kate tries to play nice.

"How is the hand?" The Captain asks her.

Kate looks at him funny. "Medical tells me when anyone enters their facility requiring medical treatment." The Captain explains.

Kate flexes her fingers to show that they all work. "It's fine sir, never better. It won't interfere with my duties."

"Shall we sit gentlemen and lady?" Kate being the only woman of the group. Not that she was the only woman on the ship, just the only senior office on the ship.

Ship's crew suddenly started showing up with food and Kate took a portion of what she was willing to eat and passed it down to the next person.

"Report." The Captain ordered.

"Navigation shows we are still on course, provided we maintain speed we will reach our destination on schedule."

"We completed a minor inspection of engine number three yesterday. The same inspection on number five will begin at first watch and last for two days. Only minor items for repair were noted. We expect the same this time."

"Our fuel consumption of the regenerative fuel cells is within the expected numbers, no deviation is expected."

"There was only one minor altercation on the rec room floor during last night's watch. It was nothing serious." Kate adds her 2 cents worth.

"We have 3 maintenance bots on the outer hull at this time. Two are performing minor repair tasks while the other is doing cleaning of the emergency engine exhaust vents. They should all be done by end of shift."

"Aside from Detective Beckett here, there have been three crew members complaining of cramps. Apparently it was a prank. Someone put a little something extra in their food. They were treated and released. And Engineer 2nd grade Stevenson managed to break one of his fingers. It was set back into place without incident. His hand will be sore for a few days, but that's all."

I presume this altercation in the rec room involved these three plus one or two others?" The captain asks.

"Yes sir. It seems it will not happen again." Kate responds.

"If it does, I'm sure maintenance will love to have some extra help for two straight shifts." The captain suggests. Getting snickers from some of the others.

"Yes sir." Kate tells him.

"When is our next communication packet from home?" The Captain asks.

"Tomorrow during second shift, sir."

"Make sure it is scanned as usual and then distribute it to the crew." The Captain mentions.

Kate would be there for the scanning as usual. They didn't actually read it. It was simply checked for any computer viruses and scanned for any words that would draw flags. Then Kate would read it.

Kate was hoping for a letter from her dad this time, since she didn't get one from him last time.

Kate was used to being alone, which made her the perfect choice for this mission. Not married with no serious prospects of being asked, no other living family members except her father. If you can count a constantly drunk father a family member.

Kate had been caught lost in her thoughts, when she heard the Captain ask her yet again if she would be there for the communication packet?

"Yes sir, not a problem sir." Kate tells him hastily.

After the meal Kate lingers in one of the hallways for a moment. "I'm telling you that piece of ice only likes other women. I've asked every eligible man on this ship if they have gotten a piece of her. And they all have said no." Kate over hears from around the corner.

Kate can hear them chuckling. "If you want a piece of her so bad why not ask her?"

"And have it fall off from frost bite? Yea no thanks." Is the reply Kate hears.

Kate moves off and heads for her office. She's heard all this before. It doesn't get to her, she won't let it. She takes her thoughts about it and bottles it up and locks it away.

Kate wasn't into women. In fact she woke up in the middle of the night after a particular hot dream with a man she had never seen before except in her dreams, that had caused her to finish what her dream had started, several times.

And a few of these encounters had been because they had been interrupted by someone. However she could never get a handle of who it was. Just when she thought she had it, her memory of the dream would disappear on her.

Kate had cried herself back to sleep on more than one occasion. It was so frustrating. Was he real? Had she seen him somewhere and forgotten? Or was her mind dreaming up someone to torture her with? If mind blowing sex in a dream could be considered torture.

Sitting in her little office which was filled with screens from all the security cameras spread out all over the ship. "Anything while I was gone Lucy?" Kate asks thin air.

"Nothing unusual. There are presently several members of the crew in the galley eating. There are six members of the crew presently engaged in sex in one of the pair's room. One other couple is engaged in sex in the, ….." Lucy is interrupted by Kate.

"Enough with the sex update, anything else?" Kate couldn't take it, she had almost had an orgasm in her dream only last night, and all this talk of sex wasn't helping. The man in her dreams was so good to her. Why couldn't he be real? She'd give up her left or right leg to make him real.

"There are three members of the crew who are in their work sections and not in their scheduled times. They have not been their long and are leaving now." Lucy tells her.

"Show me." Kate tells her.

Soon all three are up on her screens. "ID's" Kate asks her.

"One is Cole Maddox, Engineer 2nd grade. Another is Hal Lockwood, shuttle maintenance and emergency shuttle pilot 3rd class. The last is Dick Coonan, secondary navigation of the Delta watch." Lucy tells her.

"Download the bios of all three onto my drive, I'll review them in my room later." Kate asks.

Everyone who was on this ship had gone thru an in depth screening, it was mandatory. Not everyone was approved or had the ability to handle going on a trip of this type. Plus they had to screen people to keep the "Rags" from getting on board. So she wasn't too worried, still it didn't hurt to study these three in her spare time.

Kate continued to study all her screens, including watching all the bots that were all over the ship go about their chores. It was possible though unlikely that one or more of them had been reprogrammed by the "Rags" or someone else.

Kate was busy switching cameras when Lucy got her attention. "There is an altercation in the Rec room again."

Kate brings that screen up and sure enough there are two men from maintenance involved in a fight while the others stand around rooting one or the other on.

Kate is down there as fast as her long legs would get her there. The two that were fighting were two of the bigger guys on board.

Kate had one on the ground in a heartbeat; the other took exception to her interrupting their disagreement and took a swing at her. She used his momentum and had him lying on the deck next to his friend.

"If either of you get up I'll put you back down again. Now who started it?" Kate yelled at them.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw people starting to leave. "No one move! Now someone is going to tell me who started it or I'll take it out on everyone here. … Start talking."

It took some time but she finally worked out that communication specialist 2nd class Will Sorenson had talked one of them into doing something stupid knowing he would fight back and then place bets on who would win and who would lose, with Will cleaning up nicely.

The two idiots were put on report while Will was spending his shift for the next two days in Kate's little cell made especially for idiots like Will.

Kate was sitting in her room going over the download Lucy had provided. She was looking if these three had any connections with the "Fads" but not finding anything.

Then she went over them looking to see if they had a criminal past. Then she hit a problem, their past only went back a little over 2 years before the launch. That would make them 2 to 3 years old when the ship launched, and that just wasn't possible.

Maybe she was missing something, but Lucy never left anything out. Kate got up and went to her office. The files there were more extensive than just what Lucy had downloaded for her to view.

Kate was sitting in her office once again going over everything when she got a call from the chief engineer in engineering. Seems there were some new pieces added to his engines that he knew nothing about and wanted her to look at them.

"Ok chief show me what you've got." Kate asked him.

He took her to a pair of boxes, one was attached to the main fuel feeder line and another was attached to the main combustion housing. They were completely sealed and no way of detecting how they were attached.

Kate pulled out her portable scanner off her belt and took a picture of both of them. "I'll let you know chief." Kate tells him and goes back to her office.

Downloading the scan she has Lucy run a recognition program to see if these have been seen in the past before. It wasn't something Kate could remember seeing. They were really small, about the size of an elongated golf ball.

"Scan complete." Lucy tells her.

"Display results." Kate asks.

There was a 76% match to a mining charge ball. "Explosives?" Kate questions. "Rags!" Kate is convinced. Only those people would blow themselves up in order to kill people or destroy something.

Kate hits a button. "Bridge." …. "Bridge respond!" Kate demands a little louder.

Kate pulls the bridge monitor up only to see that the entire bridge crew is lying on the deck, not moving. Then Kate does see someone move past the camera on his way off the bridge.

It was Dick Coonan, secondary navigation officer, delta watch.

Then suddenly the ship rocks violently and alarms start to go off. Kate pulls up a different screen and sees nothing but red in the engineering section. "Lucy?"

"There has been an explosion in the engineering section. The main fuel line appears to be ruptured and one of the engine housings now has a hole and is exposed to the fuel leak." Lucy tells her.

"Bridge crew is dead, engines are sabotaged. …. They're trying to blow the ship. Rags would stay and go down with the ship. Anyone else would get off. THE FLIGHT DECK!"

Kate hits the big red button on her console, and a countdown starts. "Come on, come on, faster, count faster Lucy." Kate can't take it, she, the rest of the crew and Lucy may not have 30 seconds.

5,... 4, …. 3, …. 2, ….. 1. Kate yanks the drive next to the countdown display and runs for the flight deck.

Kate has made it to the flight deck and finds the door closed and locked. However she has a pass and runs it across the scanner.

Stepping inside the airlock she has to wait for the inner door to close before opening the next door after checking to make sure that the bay still has atmosphere.

Once she opens the door she sees four people running for one of the two shuttles in the bay.

"STOP!" Kate yells at them and raises her arm.

The one farthest away doesn't stop and has reached the shuttle and opens the access door and steps inside.

Kate recognized him as being Coonan.

The other three actually did stop to turn and look at her. Then turn and start running again.

Kate shoots the one closest to her that she recognized as being Lockwood. Since she has it set on stun he falls to the deck unconscious.

Kate then shoots the next one who she also recognized as being Maddox.

Kate then shoots the next person who had just made it to the opening of the shuttle. However he just glows a little from her shot. After the glow fades he looks different, and she recognized him instantly.

"BRACKEN!" Kate yells at him.

He blows her a kiss and steps inside the shuttle and Kate watches the door close.

"A chameleon suit, he had a chameleon suit." Kate reaches a conclusion why she never recognized him and why he didn't fall when she shot him.

Kate switched to defender shots and started shooting the shuttle. Shot after shot after shot. Eight shots in all before she noticed that the shuttle engines had fired.

Kate stopped firing and ran for the airlock. If she was still on the flight deck when they depressurized the bay to open the outer door, she was dead.

Kate could feel herself slowing down, the atmosphere in the bay was leaving.

Kate got the first door open and stepped inside. She could feel herself starting to lose consciousness. All her movements felt slow to her.

She pushed the button to close the door and was forced to wait for it to close. After it closed she groped for the button to open the next door.

As soon as it opened she fell thru into the ship onto the floor and started trying to get oxygen into her lungs as fast as she could.

Finally feeling better she got up and tumbled her way to a communication panel.

Hitting the button. "This is Detective Beckett, all hands are to abandon ship. Repeat, all hands are to abandon ship." And Kate ran for the closest escape pod.

Kate punched the button and jumped in. Once inside she was afraid she had no time left. Actually she was wondering why the ship hadn't blown already and killed them all.

Once inside she noted it was big enough to handle five people. Four people were already down or off the ship and she made five, so she punched the button without securing herself in a seat.

It was dangerous and it was going to hurt but she didn't think she had a choice.

The pod blew the holding bolts and launched itself out into space.

Kate saw the door she had just entered suddenly getting closer as she flew across the space, and her world went dark.

As seen from space you could see a shuttle fly out into space, however it was trailing a vapor, a lot of vapor actually.

Out of the ship shot this small round pod that instantly folded out a number of spines, some short and some long. It started tumbling into the system the ship had just entered. In the distance a planet was getting closer and closer.

The pod was headed for it and the planet was also coming to the pod. It was a nice blue color with large and small spots of white.

The shuttle was right behind it, sort of. It however seemed to be having trouble flying in a straight line while the line of vapor trailing behind it got bigger and bigger.

Behind the shuttle one could see a large explosion that sent debris in all directions. If there was anyone watching that is.


	6. Chapter 6

**CH6**

Alexis was about half way to the crash site when she stopped and let her dad catch up and get even with her.

Alexis lifted her visor. "We're going to have to go around dad." Alexis pointed to a tree that had fallen a number of years ago with part of it stinking out into the lake.

"Take it slow pumpkin, no accidents." Rick tells her.

Alexis puts her visor back down and follows the line of the tree until she reaches the ground it had started from. The ground here was actually pulled away exposing a hole that was now partially filled in. You could still make out the root ball of the tree.

Once around that she went back down to the lake edge and headed off towards the crash site.

It looked like they were pretty close so she stopped again and waited for her dad to get even with her again.

"Let's park at the water's edge and walk in from there." Rick tells her. Getting a nod from Alexis before she takes off again.

Alexis stops her quad and gets off then removes her helmet. Rick parks right next to her and takes his helmet off.

"You take the rope and the axe/hammer and let's go look." And Rick starts walking into the trees.

It wasn't too hard but there was tree pieces all over that they needed to avoid.

Alexis stepped up onto a tree that had fallen due to the crash. "WOW!"

Rick came up next to her and looked over the tree she was standing on. With his eyes seriously bugged out. "It looks like a giant sea urchin dad." Alexis comments.

"Yea it does doesn't it, …. Guess that means it's not a plane." Rick comments.

Alexis shakes her head. "Giant satellite maybe?" Alexis guesses again.

"This thing might be dangerous pumpkin." Rick is a little worried now. Alexis just looks at him funny. "Some satellites might be nuclear powered. If it is damaged the core may be exposed and we're already getting hit with rads."

"Really dad, radiation poisoning?" Alexis doesn't believe him. He's a writer and he's dreaming up stuff.

"Well it is possible." Rick defends himself.

"Right dad, whatever you say." And Alexis hops down and works her way towards it.

Rick doesn't like this idea but there was no way he was letting an 11 year old girl turn him into a chicken sissy, so he was right behind her.

"It's really big dad. If it's a satellite where are the solar power panels? Don't all satellites have them?" Alexis was still not sure what this thing was.

Rick remained silent though he knew she had a point. "I'll go this way, you try that way." Rick offered.

Alexis started to walk around it on her side while her dad took the other side. If side was something correct for a round giant sea urchin.

On the other side they met up. "See anything?" Rick asked her.

Alexis shakes her head. "It's big and it's round, and what are these things?" As Alexis touches one of the spines. "It feels like some kind of metal."

"I don't see any access panels and I don't see any markings. No flags on who made it and put it into orbit." Rick is still working on the satellite angle.

"They might be under it in the ground or up there." Alexis points up. "It looks like that area up there is missing some of these spines." Alexis notes. "I'm going to go see."

"Pumpkin no." Rick hates her latest idea.

"It's simple dad, just like climbing a tree. I can use the spines like tree branches." And Alexis steps onto her first spin and reaches up to grab the next one.

"Please be careful pumpkin." Rick knows his daughter and once she has her mind set he knew she was going to climb even if he said no. Besides he was curious.

"It looks like a big round door of some kind dad." Alexis tells him as she reaches high enough to see it.

"Any screws or bolts or something?" Rick asks her.

Alexis climbs up further till she is standing above it without actually standing on the opening.

"No, it really looks like a round door. There is even a border area around it." Alexis calls down.

"Is there a door handle?" Rick calls up.

"Not on this side." And Alexis moves around slowly stepping on spines as she goes.

"I see what looks like a handle. I'm going to pull it." And before Rick can say no Alexis gives it a pull.

"There is a big red button under it dad." Alexis calls down. "I'm going to push it."

"Get as far away from this door as you can first." Rick knew she was going to push it too. Even if there was this big sign that said "Do not push" his daughter would push it anyway.

As soon as Alexis pushed it there was this click sound then an explosion took place and the door launched out into the air and landed in the lake.

"PUMPKIN!" Rick yells up.

"I'm fine dad, it missed me." Alexis calls back down.

Rick shakes his head, she was going to kill him one of these days. Method of choice in this case appeared to be heart attack.

Alexis moved over to the hole and peeked inside. "It's hollow dad. I can see seats around the outside and some kind of harness to hold people in place. Kind of like that ride in Walt Disney World. You know, the one with Stitch." Alexis tells him.

"Stitch's Great Escape, I like that ride. Even though it isn't really a ride since it doesn't go anywhere. … Is there a holding cell in the middle?" Rick asks her.

Alexis giggles. "No dad, no holding cell." Alexis looks inside some more but it was a little dark. There was some light but not much.

"I'm going inside dad." Alexis tells him as she starts climbing inside.

Rick drops his head and sighs heavily. She was definitely trying to give him a heart attack.

"DAD! … There is a lady in here and she's hurt. She's hurt really bad." Rick hears but not really well since her voice didn't carry very good out the hole.

Damn it! Now Rick knew he was going to have to climb it too. He put the First Responder Backpack on, grabbed the rope and the air cast they had brought with them and started climbing.

Once he got to the opening. "I'm coming down Pumpkin, watch yourself."

Rick finally makes it to Alexis who is near the lady. "She's hurt bad dad." Alexis tells him again.

Rick takes his backpack off. "Well let's take a look at her." Rick starts looking her over.

"Her right arm is broken but at least it's not a compound fracture. Her head is injured and bleeding. … Oh my." Rick finds a very big and deep cut on her left leg.

"Oh dad!" Alexis has spotted it.

Rick opens his backpack and gets to work. "Here hold the flashlight." Gives what he got out of the bag to her.

Rick has got her leg cleaned up as best he can but he needs more. "She needs stitches but if I close her up now I'll have to open her again just to clean the wound properly or it'll get infected." Rick tells her. So he packs it and covers it. Then moves to her head.

After covering her head wound. "I need to set her arm. It's a good thing she's out since this is going to hurt."

Once he is done and happy with the result. "Hand me the air splint."

"We need to get her out of here now, but I hate to move her. If she has a back injury this could paralyze her for life. We don't even have a neck brace." Rick was worried.

"What we need is a back board. Something to strap her to." Rick comments.

"Can we make one?" Alexis asks him. "We have the axe."

"Maybe something similar. … Go see if you can find some branches about her length. Not too thin and not too thick. We can chop the little pieces off of them and use the rope to lash them together." Rick asks her.

"Like a raft in the movies only on land." Alexis thinks she understands and starts climbing out.

While Rick waits for Alexis he re-packs his backpack and throws it out the opening then starts looking around.

She had something on her non-broken arm that he didn't recognize. She also had a number of things in her pockets. She had a jacket pocket that had something big in it. Rick left all of it where it was.

Then he started looking around the space. One thing that worried him was a fuel leak, except he didn't smell anything like that.

There seemed to be some kind of pack under each seat. He pulled each one out and thru them out the opening too.

There seemed to be some kind of control panel in front of what he thought was an LED screen. Under it was a medical sign. He pulled the panel open easily and found a large case inside. He pulled it out and smiled. "This might come in handy." And threw it out the opening.

"Here comes the first one dad." Alexis calls from above, and drops down a branch.

Rick grabs it and looks it over lying it down next to her. "Perfect pumpkin, find us three or four more and we'll be great." Rick calls up.

It took some time but Alexis found three more pretty much just like the first one.

Rick had been hacking at them as she dropped them to clean them. "Come down and help me pumpkin."

Alexis made it down. "What's first dad."

"I'm thinking we wrap her up in one of the emergency blankets. Use some of the rope to hold the branches together a little. Then more of the rope to tie her to our makeshift back board. Then we use what's left of the rope to haul her up out of here, and pray we didn't permanently paralyze her."

Between them they were all set. "She's going to be heavy dad." Alexis was wishing they had a crane or something.

"Yea, this may not be easy. Put the other blanket over the opening we will pull her from. I don't want the rope to rub on that opening and cut it." Rick asks her.

Rick and Alexis were still in the pod. "Now comes the dangerous part." Rick tells her.

They got Kate up out of the pod and had her resting over the opening using one of the spines to balance her in place.

They both were down on the ground resting. "I think my arms have fallen off."Rick tells Alexis.

"A crane would have made it so much easier." Alexis moans with him, since she was tired too.

"We still have to get her down." Rick moans some more.

"And we have to get her home." Alexis adds.

"Oh god!" Rick is thinking suicide would ease the pain.

"How do we get her out of here and back home?" Alexis was wondering. If she couldn't sit on the quads, then what?

"We're going to have to use what's left of the rope to build a "Travois" to put her on. We can lash her makeshift flat board to it to hold her in place." Rick is thinking. They had the axe/hammer to make it with.

After resting they had her down on the ground. "I threw out a number of things. One of them looks like a first aid kit. Can you take the bungee cords and put it and as many of the others onto your quad. We can see what they are back at camp.

I'm going to go look for some wood to make the Travois with." Rick asks of her.

"Not a problem dad." Alexis tells him and goes searching for all those boxes she saw come flying out of the giant sea urchin.

"I've got a little bit of rope left to attach my Travois to the quad. Are there any bungee cords left?" Rick would like something more.

Alexis shakes her head. "Sorry dad I used them all."

"Well let's hope this is enough." Rick had chopped his nice coil of rope into a lot of smaller pieces. Effectively trashing it for use after this. However there was more at the house.

"Ok pumpkin, I want you out in front. Way out in front. Find us a nice smooth path to get back to camp on, and then we'll go from there." Rick asks of her.

"I'll do my best dad." As Alexis grabs her helmet and fires up her quad and takes off.

Rick checks his work one last time, puts on his helmet, fires up his quad and moves out after Alexis, SLOWLY! Ever so slowly.

Alexis was doing her best, still it was a bumpy ride all the way back to camp.

"Do we lift her up to the plateau?" Alexis asks.

Rick shakes his head. "No we're going to leave her right where she is. Let's search these boxes and see what's in them." Rick knew they had packed a lot of stuff out here. If they added anything, something was going to have to get left behind. Screwing up their pack out what you pack in saying.

The boxes it turned out help what looked like MRE's, water, blanket, and some misc. other items.

The medical kit was another first responder kit, just not in backpack form. Rick pulled out of it everything he had used up from his and then over stuffed it with what was left.

"Bring down the bungee cords from in camp let's see if we can add a storage place to our Travois." Rick asked her.

Rick had used the bungee cords to add more wood to his Travois and made some storage area.

"Now we need to decide what goes and what stays." Rick tells her.

After a couple of hours they had everything packed. They topped off the gas tanks and left all but one of the gas cans behind.

"We're leaving a mess dad." Alexis moans. Her love of nature was showing.

"I know pumpkin, but it can't be helped. We'll clean it up next time we are out here, I promise.

Let's get started, we only have a few hours of daylight left. Find us a nice smooth path pumpkin." Rick asks of her.

Alexis nods her head. It wasn't going to be easy until they reached the valley.

It was almost dark when Alexis stopped and let her dad catch up to her. Because of the travois he had been going slowly.

They set up the tents on either side of the lady then Rick unpeeled her from the emergency blanket and changed the bandage on her leg and her head. Then checked the air cast to make sure it was still inflated.

He also listened to her heart, her lungs and checked her blood pressure. Satisfied he sealed her back up again. Then he checked how much gas he had left.

They were in trouble. He was using too much gas.

Neither of them got much sleep that night. Their minds just would not shut down. Too much had happened lately. Who was she? Why was she alone? What was that giant sea urchin thing? And then there would be a noise and they were both instantly awake.

Rick was forever getting up to check on his injured patient and Alexis.

Come morning they ate breakfast since they had skipped dinner they were both hungry. Rick checked on his patient and they loaded up and took off again.

They were doing fine albeit slowly. Since they were moving so slowly this trip they were forced to camp again. Setting up just a single tent this time since RIck's was big enough to hold both of them. Then packed it all up come morning and took off again.

Alexis would always stop from time to time to let her dad catch up to her then take off again.

However one time he didn't show up so Alexis turned around and went back.

She found him standing down by the lady. "What happened, is she alright?" Alexis pulls off her helmet and asks him.

"I ran out of gas." Rick tells her.

"There is still some in the can I have." Alexis tells him.

"Let's look at how much you have left first." Together they find out she is also almost empty.

"Fill your quad with what's left and let's unload it." Rick tells her.

"No dad, I'm not leaving you behind." Alexis hates this plan.

"Alexis pumpkin, with less weight you can go faster and easier. Fill up the gas can and bring back another from the house. If you're fast you can be back before nightfall. Re-load your quad and head for home. It's the only way pumpkin. Neither of us can carry her that far." Rick tries to get her to see.

"Please don't do anything stupid dad." Alexis pleads listening to what her father is telling her.

With her quad unloaded and only the empty gas can on the back. "I'll be back dad, I promise."

"And we'll both be here waiting for you." Rick kisses her. "I'm proud of you pumpkin and I love you."

"I love you too dad. " And Alexis fires up her quad and takes off trying to set a new speed record.

Alexis suddenly cleared the trees like a bullet shot out of a gun and was out in the valley. She could just make out the speck that was the house in the distance.

She could see the house pretty good now. "Almost there." Alexis tells herself when her quad sputters and dies on her.

"Damn it!" Alexis knows what has happened but looks anyway. "Out of gas."

Alexis starts to take the empty gas can off her quad. "I'll never be able to carry it back here full of fuel. …. The little one at the house will weigh less." Alexis abandons the gas can, helmet and quad and takes off running.

She has made it to the house completely out of breath and starts searching for the small gas can. It was still a little heavy for her and she was going to have to walk back to the quad.

She had just started when she heard a gunshot in the distance in front of her, followed quickly by another one.

"**DAD!" **Alexis screamed out into the valley in front of her. "Oh please god, no." As the tears start.


	7. Chapter 7

**CH7**

Alexis started trying to run with the gas can but stumbled so many times that she was forced to walk as fast as she could. Tears running down her face the whole time and scared out of her mind.

Alexis poured the gas into the tank and secured it to her quad then raced for the house.

Once there she tried lifting up the bigger gas can but it was just too heavy for her, so she settled for grabbing the three other smaller gas cans and used the big one to fill the small one she had just used.

But she was spilling it on the ground. Alexis was having trouble concentrating.

Once she was done she secured that gas can to her quad and opened up the house and ran inside. Once there she pulled the Henry rifle out of the closet and ran back outside and secured it to the quad. Forgetting to re-lock up the house.

Once she was sure nothing was going to fall off she put on her helmet and fired up her quad and raced down the valley back the way she had come, doing her best to set yet another new land speed record. Which is not easy when you are crying at the same time.

Rick was sitting on his quad watching the woods when he heard Alexis's quad getting closer. He got off and stepped away from it towards Alexis and waited.

Rick saw Alexis come charging in full steam and slam on the brakes sliding a little.

Alexis was off the quad before it even came to a stop and yanked her helmet off, letting it fall on the ground and roll who cares where and slammed into her dad.

Rick could feel her shaking and hear her crying. "Hey what's wrong." Rick was just glad to see her and that she was safe.

"I heard shots." Alexis mumbles out thru the tears.

"Oh that, yea we had a few visitors." Rick bent down to look at her, and then he wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. When he stood back up he lifted her with him. Alexis was kind of big to be carrying but he did it anyway.

"I'm alright pumpkin, no damage. Shhhh, It's Ok, we're both fine." And Rick squeezes her a little to reinforce his words.

He walked over to his quad and put Alexis down near the lady still on the travois.

"We had some visitors, I think they were attracted to the blood." Rick points out the two dead grey or timber wolves on the ground a little ways away. "I've heard stories that they were up here but didn't believe them or ever see one before." Rick explains.

Alexis hangs onto her dad while he explains, slowly calming down.

"Let's get gassed up and get out of here before they decide to try again." Rick tells her and walks with her back to her quad.

"I see you came prepared." Rick notices the Henry secured to the back of her quad. Alexis just looks up at him and smiles. Wondering if she is in trouble. She knows she isn't supposed to be handling the weapons without her dad present.

Rick however just grabs the gas and fills his quad. "We'll come back for this stuff after we get her in the house and checked out and made comfortable."

Alexis nods and finds her helmet and fires up her quad and escorts her dad slowly back to the house. There was no way she was leaving him to blaze a trail for him to follow this time.

Rick carries her into the house. "She can have my room, I'll sleep downstairs." Alexis tells him.

Rick looks at her to make sure. "There is only one bathroom and with her leg she's not going to be walking up and down the stairs." Alexis tries using logic.

Rick has to admit she has a point so he carries her upstairs and puts her on the bed. "Go get the first response bag and some saline, I want to clean out this wound properly this time." Rick asks of her.

While Alexis is downstairs he goes and gets a towel and some scissors to cut her clothes away with. By the time Alexis is back Rick is ready.

Rick flushes the wound and cleans her up then stitches the wound closed and bandages it up properly this time. Then he does the same for her head.

"See if you can get her clothes off, I'm going to go get some antibiotics, some morphine for later and an IV bag. Then we'll wrap her up in a clean set of sheets and a new blanket." And Rick goes downstairs to get his supplies.

He gives Alexis some time to complete her task, she may be unconscious but she doesn't deserve to be ogled at by him.

"Ready pumpkin?" Rick asks before entering.

"You can come in dad." Alexis tells him.

Rick injects the antibiotics and leaves the morphine on the table for later. Then sets up the IV bag to get some fluids in her. "I put all her stuff from her pockets on the dresser and her clothes are in the bathroom." Alexis adds.

"Let's let her rest, the morphine is for when she wakes up, since she will probably be in a lot of pain." Rick tells her. "We need some sheets, a blanket and a pillow for the pullout downstairs."

"I'm going to go unload my quad and then go get the stuff we left behind. Give me a couple of hours and then we can start dinner." Rick tells her.

"I'll watch over her dad." Alexis tells him.

"I'm sure you will." And he kisses her head and heads out.

Alexis can hear his quad leave and almost 2 hours later she can hear it return. Except he doesn't come inside right away, so Alexis goes outside. Outside she finds him putting away stuff from both quads.

"Hi dad, any trouble?" Meaning did the wolves come back?

"No, no trouble, they have probably moved on. Here you want to take this upstairs. It's the medical kit from, …. well whatever that thing was she was in." Rick hands it over to her.

Alexis takes it inside and upstairs while Rick takes one of the other items and goes into the kitchen and opens it for a more thorough inspection.

Alexis is back downstairs. "What is it?" Curious.

"It looks like a mini survival kit, a little touch of everything it would seem." Rick is now confused. It wasn't a plane and satellites don't have people inside or have survival gear and first aid kits.

Alexis picks an item up. "It kinda looks like a mini version of our MRE's?" Alexis notes the similarities.

"Probably tastes like one too." Rick jokes getting Alexis to giggle.

"Now what dad?" Meaning their guest.

"Now we wait for her to wake up and fix dinner since I, for one, am hungry." Rick starts gathering what he wants to cook.

"Are we going to take her into town tomorrow?" Alexis is thinking hospital and police to help find out who she is.

"I think we'll keep her for a few days and look after her. I want her to get more stabilized before we try moving her again. I also want to know if she can move. Did what we did to her cause paralysis? Moving her again too soon may do just that." Rick wanted to be cautious.

After dinner they both went up to check on her. "I think the thermometer is in the bathroom." Rick comments.

"I'll get it." And Alexis comes back with it.

"Well it is a little high, but probably to be expected since she has been injured." Rick places his hand on her forehead. "She is a touch warm. … I'll give her another antibiotic shot in the morning. …. If she wakes up screaming in pain give her the morphine shot. You just have to inject it into this tube here. Use all of it and try and get her to calm down." Rick explains what to do if he isn't around for some reason.

"Are you going somewhere?" Alexis was suddenly worried.

"No, heavens no. But I may be outside while you are inside keeping an eye on her." Rick explains better. "Not to worry pumpkin I'm not going anywhere."

Alexis quickly relaxes. "Movie?"

"Who chooses?" Rick asks holding out his fist.

Alexis holds out hers. "1, … 2, …. 3. …. Ha! paper covers rock." Alexis heads downstairs to select the movie. Rick follows convinced she cheated somehow.

Come morning after a shower and breakfast. "I'm going to go check my traps and set a couple more. Just on the off chance that she stays here longer than planned we're going to need the food. Having another mouth to feed is going to put pressure on our supplies. …. You going to be ok?"

"I'll be fine dad, I'll check on her while you're gone." Alexis feels better today after yesterday.

"I'll be back in a couple hours, I'm going to take the quad." Rick tells her and goes outside.

Rick found his traps without any trouble. Each of the three he had out had something. Two had raccoons and one had a rabbit. He bagged the animals and reset the traps then moved further out to set the two he had brought with him and tagged a tree showing their location.

Just as he cleared the trees he saw two deer in the distance that were looking at him. They stood there until he moved and then they took off. "Well at least if I go looking they do exist." And Rick headed home.

"We got lucky." Rick tells Alexis when he gets back.

"Nice dad, they're not skinny either." Alexis had adapted to eating them. "I'm going to go check the greenhouses and the garden. She hasn't moved." Alexis tells him on the way out.

Rick goes upstairs to check on her. She still had a small temperature so he gave her that antibiotic shot he talked about yesterday.

Then he got curious about what was in all her pockets. None of it looked all the familiar though. The bigger one kind of looked like a portable DVD/CD read write drive. It looked like there was even a place to plug it in. It just didn't look like a USB port.

Rick left it all on the counter and went back downstairs.

Alexis came back in looking clean and they ate lunch. Then Rick started work on what he caught in his traps. Then he made a marinade and put them in the refrigerator.

Rick was going to parboil them then bake them with some of Alexis's sweet potatoes, carrots, turnips thawed bell peppers, can of mushroom soup and seasonings.

Alexis steps up. "What are you doing to it?"

"Well this raccoon I'm going to slice up and put in the dehydrator and turn him into jerky and this one is going to be tonight's dinner. And I'm marinating the rabbit for tomorrow." Rick explains.

"We don't have that many potatoes, carrots and such yet. I'm hoping for a lot more plus strawberries in about a month." Alexis warns him since he does most of the cooking.

"I'll keep that in mind." Rick went back to work, when they both heard moaning from upstairs.

Dropping everything they both hit the stairs and were upstairs in a flash.

However her eyes were still closed but a lot of her seemed to be moving a little.

"I think she's dreaming dad." Alexis offers.

"Yea I think so but at least she's moving." Rick notices.

"So she's not paralyzed?" Alexis hopes.

"Doesn't look like it but we can test that when she wakes up." Rick adds.

They both stand there watching her squirm and moan. "Must be some dream." Alexis comments.

To Rick however it looked eerily like she was having a dream with someone since she seemed to be kissing the air and sticking her tongue out while moaning.

After she calmed down. "I'm going back to my raccoon, you want to stay and watch her?"

"Sure dad, no problem." And Alexis pulls a chair over closer to the bed.

Rick had finished putting the raccoon in the dehydrator and had started on tonight's dinner when he hears a different sound.

"I think she's waking up dad." Alexis yells down, since she can see that her eyes are open and her face is seriously contorted.

"Give her the morphine pumpkin, now." Rick yells back up from the kitchen.

Alexis grabs the syringe and plunges it into the tubing like her dad had shown her and pushes the plunger. By the time Rick had made it to her bed she was calmer already.

When Rick leaned down to look at her, her face suddenly softened and a smile started to form, then her eyes closed and she was asleep again.

"It's almost like she knew you dad. Does she look familiar?" Alexis asked him.

Rick shakes his head. "She doesn't look familiar. Maybe she was at a book signing." Rick ventures a possibility.

"She's pretty dad and her smile is nice." Alexis notes.

Rick had to agree she is a lovely woman and the smile looked good on her.

"The morphine will probably keep her asleep for a while. I'll prepare another one and bring it up for later. We need to change her bandage before bed tonight." Rick gets up and goes downstairs.

Alexis goes back to sitting in the chair and watches her.

After a very tasty dinner of raccoon Rick went upstairs and cleaned her wounds again and changed her bandages.

Rick pushed a few stray hairs away from her face, she really was a very lovely woman.

Rick sat up and watched her till bedtime.


	8. Chapter 8

**CH8**

Rick had already showered and gone downstairs to get another antibiotic shot and had just finished putting it into the tubing when she started to wake up again.

Rick picked up the morphine shot which was smaller than the one they used yesterday and gave her that one too.

Rick noticed that Alexis was just stepping out of the bathroom after taking her shower when he leaned down over to look into the ladies eyes. "Hi, how are you feeling? Sorry about the pain, the morphine should kick in soon."

Kate however sees the man's face again and smiles. She so wanted to kiss him again but he seemed so far away. He had never seemed this far away in her dreams before.

Kate decided to tell him to move closer, she so wanted those lips on hers again, and tries to raise her arm to grab him and bring him closer.

Rick however notices that her hand is moving. He takes this as a good sign that she isn't paralyzed and grabs her hand and holds it between his.

Then he sees that she is trying to say something but nothing seems to be coming out. So he leans down closer.

Kate can see his face getting closer, closer and she starts smiling. Just close enough now and lifts her head a little and kisses him.

Rick however is shocked. She's kissing him! And she's good at it too! He can feel her tongue asking for entrance and his mind is leaving him so he grants it. Soon their kiss is getting deep and soul searching.

Rick was enjoying the kiss and would love to wrap his arms around her and hold her tight. Then his mind came back and remembered that Alexis was probably standing there looking at them kissing.

Rick broke from the kiss partly because of Alexis and partly because he needed air.

Rick looked down into her eyes and he could see her smiling.

Kate however felt him pull away from the kiss. She didn't want him to stop. Since this was a dream so she wanted to kiss him forever. She could see his face plainly. Better than she ever could in the past.

He was handsome. He had a little more stubble from not shaving yet, which she kind of liked actually.

Kate gave him her best smile. "Hi!" Kate whispered out. But she couldn't keep her eyes open for some reason.

Rick heard her croak out "Hi." In a rough dry voice. Probably since she hadn't had anything to drink in several hours. Then he saw a smile that lite up her face and got him to smile back.

Then she was asleep again.

"WOW dad!" Alexis comments, grinning from ear to ear.

Rick jerks upright. "Uhm, … well she, …. I mean, …." Alexis doesn't let him suffer too long.

"Relax dad, I've seen you kiss women before. Just not ones who you kissed back like that before." Alexis however has to tease him a little. "You sure you don't know who she is?"

"Uhm, … no I don't remember seeing her before." Rick is still a little flustered by the kiss and his daughter watching it plus her teasing.

"Well she seems to know you." Alexis takes another jab at him. Then goes to pull today's clothes together and goes back into the bathroom to change.

Rick was sitting in the chair watching her when Alexis came back out.

"I'll go fix breakfast dad, you can stay here and kiss her some more." Alexis takes a parting shot at him going down the stairs.

"Oh har de har har." Rick responds.

Alexis came back later to trade places so her dad could eat breakfast. "You ok alone for a little while, I want to go check to water pipe inlet. I'm betting the screen is getting clogged again. I noticed there was less pressure this morning." Rick asks her.

"I'll be fine dad." Alexis assures him.

"The morphine is on the table, she's already had some but if she wakes and complains of pain, …."

"I can handle it dad, go, just be careful and take the gun with you." Alexis is thinking wolves again.

"I'm sure they are long gone, but if it'll make you feel better, fine." Rick kisses her head and heads for the quad.

When Rick reaches the pipe entrance he finds debris piled up all around it. Hurricane Sandy was still leaving its mark. He was soon a wet and dirty mess and cussing in every language he could think of.

The pipe itself looked undamaged and was still securely held in place. The pump housing also looked to be in good shape.

Then he went looking at all his traps and was rewarded with yet another raccoon. This one however was much smaller. He was going to have to move them soon. He may be over hunting this one little area.

Hopping back on the quad he headed back for the house.

Alexis kept her eyes on the lady the whole time. She had kissed her dad, what she wanted was answers. First question was why? Second question was what was that giant sea urchin thing?

Kate thought she heard voices but by the time she could get her eyes open everything was quiet. Kate blinked them open and found she was lying on her back staring up at a ceiling she didn't recognize.

The second thing she knew was that there was a lot of pain. He head, chest, arm, leg. It seemed like no place was free of pain.

Then there was a face in front of her. It looked like a child with orange almost red hair. She couldn't remember anyone on board ship who had died their hair orange/red. But then she didn't remember any children being on board either.

Alexis saw that her eyes were open. "Hi, are you in pain?" Alexis knew she had something to fix that if she was.

Kate knew that everything hurt when she was asked. So she tried to say yes but nothing came out.

"I'll be right back." Alexis told her and went into the bathroom and came out with a glass of water.

Alexis held it to Kate's lips. "Here sip, just sip."

Kate tried to lift her head to make it easier but that just brought still more pain.

"Try not to move, I'll give you something for the pain after you sip." Alexis told her.

Alexis tilted the glass and tried not to give her too much, then set the glass down and injected the morphine into the tubing.

Kate could make out she was doing something to a tube coming from a bag that was hanging. "There give that a minute or two and the pain should get better." Alexis bends down to look into her eyes.

"My name is Alexis. Do you have a name?" Alexis thought the question was stupid the moment it was off her lips. Of course she has a name, DUH!

Kate could see her make a face of 'That was a stupid question' and thought it was cute. "Kate."

Kate didn't even recognize her own voice, she sounded like crap. Which was probably fitting since she felt like crap too. She must have been injured pretty bad when the life pod launched with her not secured in one of the seats. Still, she was alive it seemed.

Kate looked around as best she could. The room seemed small though larger than her room on board the ship.

"You're in my bedroom in our house. Dad is off doing maintenance on the main water pipe to the house. He'll be back soon." Alexis notice her eyes moving around looking.

"Do you know what happened to you?" Alexis was curious and if she was awake. ….

"There was an explosion; I tried to escape before the ship was destroyed." Kate could barely talk and it was an effort just to say that. And Kate couldn't keep her eyes open any longer. As she closed them, 'her dad? Who was her dad?'

Alexis had an answer. Well sort of an answer. But there were no ships within untold miles of here. There was a bigger lake a number of miles from here, it might have boats in it, maybe. But a ship?

Maybe it was the pain and the drugs, she just used the wrong word is all. But a flying boat that looked like a giant sea urchin? An explosion that threw the boat but didn't destroy it. A boat with no motor or sails?

The answer only seemed to create more questions.

Alexis heard her dad's quad come back so she raced down the stairs and met him outside. "Dad, dad, she woke up." Alexis was all excited.

"Great, is she awake?" Rick asked liking to talk to her.

Alexis shook her head. "She said her name is Kate and that she escaped just as her ship exploded." Alexis told him all she knew which she had to admit wasn't much.

"Her SHIP exploded?" Rick is confused. The Atlantic Ocean was untold miles from here.

Maybe it was a research ship with a giant artificial sea urchin on board and the explosion launched her this far inland? An explosion big enough to do that but not blow her to pieces.

Rick shakes his head, maybe the cold water had affected his hearing. "A SHIP?"

"That's what she said dad. …. You're a mess dad. Go take a shower dad, you stink." Alexis holds her nose and backs away.

Rick looks at himself and chuckles. Getting off the quad he goes inside and upstairs to take a shower, stopping at the lady named Kate. "A ship."

Rick came back into Alexis's bedroom and finds Alexis sitting in the chair watching Kate.

"The pipe screen was heavily clogged. I see you used the morphine. Did she say she was in pain?" Rick asks her picking up the used syringe.

"Yup, it looked like it too, and her voice was rough. I gave her a sip of water." Alexis tells him.

"I'll make another one and put out a can of soup. We need to see if we can get her to start eating soon. If I'm outside or something next time you can heat it up and try to get her to eat as much of it as you can." Rick tells her.

"Ok dad. I'm going to go look in the greenhouses, see how they are doing. She's going to need something fresh during this week." Alexis heads downstairs leaving her dad to watch Kate.

Alexis eventually comes back upstairs. "I take it by that long face there is nothing."

"I'm sorry dad, not for at least another month yet." Things were only just starting.

"It's not your fault pumpkin, we haven't even been here a month yet. It'll grow when it wants to grow. Have you started everything you can start?" If they kept her very long they needed the food.

"I've got everything started that I can start and divided up what was left as far as I dare. We just need time." Alexis looked sad.

"Come here pumpkin." And Rick hugs her. "It really is alright, you're the best green thumb I know. Knowing you you'll have us eating vegetarian in no time." Getting Alexis to giggle a little.

"Not if you keep coming back with raccoons every day." Alexis counters.

"Yea I wouldn't hold your breath about that. I think I need to move the traps further out to keep from over hunting one location." Rick chuckles.

"When is deer hunting season again?" Alexis asks wondering when different meat would be added.

"Not till late September or early October. Legally anyway." Rick answers. "Why?"

"No reason, just thinking ahead." They had a lot of food and Alexis knew it, but having a whole deer to eat would help a lot. And with the two greenhouse's they would have fresh fruit year round if necessary.

Kate woke up hours later and it was dark when she could get her eyes open. There was a little light but not much. What she did know was that there was a lot of pain. Even breathing was painful.

Problem was she didn't remember that moving caused even more pain so when she did move to try and get up the pain increased. "Awww."

This however got a light to come on somewhere, followed by footsteps. Then suddenly there was the same girl with orange/red hair in her face.

"HI Kate let me give you something for the pain." And Alexis grabs the syringe and injects it into the tubing. "There give it a couple of minutes and you should feel better." Alexis goes back to looking in her eyes.

"My name is Alexis Castle. Yours is Kate, Kate what?" Alexis has to start somewhere.

Kate tries to answer but her mouth is dry.

"Ooops sorry." Alexis grabs the glass of water from last time and gets Kate to sip a couple of times. "Better?"

"Kate Beckett. Where am I?" Kate manages to get out.

"You're in my bedroom, I'm sleeping downstairs. This is our house in upper New York just south of the border with Canada." Alexis explains.

"Canada?" Kate was confused. What was Canada? Wait she said something.

"House?" Name of a ship? Colony ship with kids? Just she didn't know about any colony ship.

"Yea house, in New York, in the United States." Alexis takes it about as far as she can.

"Water?" Kate would like a little more if she was going to keep talking.

"Sure." And Alexis grabs the glass of water and lets her sip a couple of more times.

"What is Canada?" Kate asks her.

Alexis is shocked and looks it, how could she not know about Canada?

Kate sees the look on her face, she had just said something that Alexis wasn't expecting.

"Canada is a ship?" Kate asks her.

"Canada is a country on the north border of the United States." Alexis offers hoping that helps.

Problem was Kate was still confused, country? Border? Nothing made sense. Time to try something different.

"Find me?" Kate manages to get out. Talking was hard.

"My dad and I were out camping when your giant flying sea urchin came crashing thru the trees and crashed near the lake we were camped at. We found you inside. You were hurt so we fixed you and brought you home." Alexis gives her the short version.

Camping, trees. Kate didn't know what a sea urchin was but it sounded like her life pod had crashed somewhere. And trees meant a planet. They were a long ways from home so it wasn't her planet.

"Planet, name?" Kate asks sticking with short words.

Now Alexis was confused, of course planet. Was she asking the name of the planet? Amnesia maybe? But how did she still know her name if she has amnesia.

"Planet Earth." Alexis tells her hoping that helps.

"Earth, not Tellus." Kate asks.

"Tellus, what is Tellus? …. Wait you think you're on Tellus and Tellus is your planet? You're from Tellus." Alexis stops talking and has a big O on her face. As in OMG!

"You're, … you're an, ….. an Alien from another planet? …. Oh my god! Oh my god!" Alexis is freaking, she's 11 years old and there is an alien lady in her bed. An alien lady who kissed her dad.

"I gotta get dad!" And Alexis disappears from Kate's view.


	9. Chapter 9

**CH9**

"Get us out of here, we don't have much time." Bracken yells at Coonan.

"Where are the others?" Coonan asks while working the controls.

"That bitch Beckett got them. Let's go already." Bracken was impatient. He knew the ship was going to blow any second now.

"I'm depressurizing the bay now." Coonan tells him.

"We don't have time for your flight list, get us off this ship."

"If I open the bay doors before the bay in depressurized we'll slam into the door before they are open fully and kill both of us." Coonan tells him. Leaving off the 'Shut up and sit down' part.

"Maybe the bitch will die of oxygen starvation. She even took out my chameleon suit." Bracken was mad. He had paid a small fortune for it and now it was ruined.

"I'm firing up the engines and opening the bay door." Coonan tells him.

Bracken bit his tongue, trying to push Coonan wasn't going to make it go any faster. He just wished he could watch that bitch die on the bay floor. Her lungs bursting from a lack of oxygen. He hoped it was a painful process.

They were finally outside of the ship. "Setting course for the planet." Coonan tells him.

Then red lights started flashing all over and little warning sounds started up.

"What is it?" Bracken all but demanded.

"We're losing fuel and oxygen. We're probably leaving a trail of both behind us." Coonan answers.

"The loss is increasing slowly. Did she shoot at us?" Coonan knows she was the only one on ship that was armed. Permanently armed even.

"I don't know if she hit the shuttle, I was inside by then." Bracken tells him what he knows.

They travel for a while in silence since Coonan has turned off the alarms.

"Our fuel loss is increasing as is the oxygen loss. I'm trying to run calculations." Coonan interrupts their silence.

"Calculations for what?" Bracken wasn't a pilot. That's what he had Coonan for.

"To see if we have enough fuel and oxygen to make it to the planet or not." Coonan was getting scared.

"Well do something, you're the pilot. That's what I have you for. It's what you are paid to do." Bracken doesn't want excuses, just results.

Coonan is silent for a time. "If this is right we are going to come up short in both fuel and oxygen. … We'll run out of fuel and have an uncontrolled re-entry to the planet and burn up. But the good news is we'll be dead from oxygen starvation before that."

"Doesn't this thing have spare oxygen for landings along the way?" Bracken can't believe he's going to die just like that bitch did.

"Not for the main cabin no. But we do have a number of suits we can put on. They each have their own oxygen supply. If we put on two and open the others up it may last long enough for us to land.

But we'll still burn up in the atmosphere." Coonan's idea only solves one problem. No fuel is no fuel.

"If I change the angle of our dissent to something more flat we might not burn up. But I need to run the calculations and do that now while we still have fuel." Coonan offers.

"And with no fuel how do we land?" Bracken doesn't want to die in a crash either.

"When we reach atmosphere we get out of the suits and use the parachutes and jump. You're going to have to take off your precious chameleon suit to put on the space suit." Coonan tells him.

Bracken starts cursing. He was hoping he could find someone who could fix it and thereby use it later. Who knows what or who is on this planet.

Coonan has made the flight adjustments and they both start getting into their space suits and Coonan opens up the other three and has them leak oxygen out into the cabin.

His flight numbers show that it was going to be close, really close. They may not have enough oxygen to reach the atmosphere after a long and protracted re-entry.

Several hours later both of their suits are giving warnings about running out of oxygen. Coonan stumbles over to the entry door and works the controls and blows the door.

Suddenly air comes rushing in and they both get blown around a little. Taking their helmets off, they find that they can breathe.

"Get out of the suits and put the parachute on." Coonan has to yell at him to be heard over the noise.

Once they both have them on Coonan steps into the open door. Turning his head. "Follow me out. Pull this cord before this needle gets in the red. Or you will be a big splat on the ground." Coonan tells him and jumps out the door.

Bracken however waits a little, since he was a giant coward. He may have great plans but doing the dirty stuff himself just wasn't his thing. He had just lost two hired killers in Maddox and Lockwood while Coonan was just a pilot bought and paid for.

Finally Bracken sucked it in and jumped.

Problem was the idiot had delayed jumping. He should have been out the door right behind Coonan. Now they were going to both land far away from each other. Possibly hundreds of miles away from each other at the speed the shuttle was still going at.

Plus this was Bracken's very first parachute jump!

"Dad, dad, Kate is awake, you need to get up." Alexis is tugging and pulling her dad to get him to wake and get up.

"Pumpkin?" Rick asks groggy not understanding.

"Kate is awake, you need to get up." Alexis tries again.

Rick's eyes open wide and he gets up out of bed wearing only his long leg sleep boxers. Once up he follows Alexis into her bedroom.

Rick walks over to Kate and bends his face down close to look into her eyes which are still open and suddenly get opened even wider.

Kate can suddenly see the man in her dreams walking into the room and he's half naked. All naked would have been better but she can fix that. Then she sees his face directly in front of hers smiling at her.

"How do you feel, any pain?" Rick asks her.

"I gave her that shot of morphine you left." Alexis offers in response to his question.

"My name is Rick, Richard Castle and I think you've met my daughter Alexis." Rick tells her introducing himself.

Kate however is still in shock. He looks so real. In her dreams he's always seemed real, but now, ….

Kate reaches up to try and cup his cheek with her hand.

Rick sees her try and move her hand so he takes it in both of his and holds it close to his lips.

"Are you up to having something to eat? We need to get you to start eating." Rick asks her.

Kate tries to get her hand to move a little further so she can touch him. He looked and felt so real. Food sounded like a good idea so she did her best to nod her head.

"She said her name was Kate Beckett and she thinks she is on a planet called Tellus. She didn't know anything about US or Canada. I think she's an alien dad." Alexis practically whispers still not believing it.

"Go warm up the soup pumpkin, maybe after she has eaten something she can tell us what is going on better." Rick asks her.

"I'll get it dad." And Alexis heads downstairs.

Half way down. "There is an alien in my bed." Alexis tells herself just loud enough for Rick to hear.

"Since you're awake we need to take a good look at your injuries. I need to see if there are any I've missed. I promise not to look, much." Rick tells her and starts to un-cocoon her. Plus he got to get a look at a real live alien! Please let her be an alien.

Rick has uncovered a portion of her body leaving her breasts still covered. "Oh my, that is a lot of bruising. Does it hurt to breath?" Rick asks Kate.

"A little." Kate confirms with a still rough sounding voice.

"This is going to hurt and I'm sorry but I need to see if any of your ribs are broken. I also want to see if you are bleeding internally." Rick warns her. "I can give you something for the pain after I'm done. …. Ready?" Rick gives her a chance to get herself under control.

Kate tries to nod her head and blind her eyes. And Rick starts probing with his fingers.

Kate's pain increased immediately and Rick got a moan out of her telling him what he was doing was hurting.

Then he uncovered her a little more and moved to the other side. Not seeing much bruising on this side he prodded some more with his fingers. Kate only winced this time.

Then Rick started shoving his fingers into her lower abdomen. This caused some pain but not nearly as much as the first time.

"I'm not finding any signs of internal bleeding, which is good and I think at least two or three ribs on your right side are heavily bruised but I don't think they are broken." Rick tells her.

Rick moves down to expose more of her legs. Some other time he would have lingered over her long and shapely legs, but his mind was on other things.

"Can you wiggle your toes for me?" Rick asks her.

Kate does her best to get her toes to move and even flex her ankle a little.

Rick goes into the bathroom and comes out with a toothbrush. Using the non-brush end. "Can you feel this?" As Rick scrapes the bottom of her foot.

This gets Kate to giggle and flex her foot involuntarily. Then Rick does the other foot getting the same response.

Rick stores the ticklish information away in his mind for a later date.

Rick proceeds to wrap her back up in a cocoon. "Your arm is broken, you have a nasty gash on your head and your leg has a large and deep wound. All of those have been taken care of. I'm going to wait till you are awake again then I'll have Alexis give you a sponge bath, clean your wounds again, give you another shot of antibiotics and probably another pain shot.

Then I want to look up and see if I should wrap up those ribs, hopefully it'll help you breathe without pain. First we need to get some food in you. The IV will keep you hydrated so it will stay for a little longer." Rick informs her.

Kate took it all in and some of it went in one ear and out the other but not all of it. She wanted him closer again so she did her best to motion him closer.

Rick saw her hand and finger kind of wiggle but he thinks he knows what she is asking for, so he moves in close again.

Kate can see his lips are just about within reach. With determination she lifts her hand and cups the side of his face.

Rick reaches his hand up and holds hers in place. "Can I get you something?" Maybe a sip of water he is thinking.

"Are you real." Kate can see him and feel him. But he's a dream, isn't he?

Rick gives her one of his better smiles. "Last I knew I was real yea." Rick chuckles a little. "You sure there is nothing I can get you?" Special food just for Aliens? At least she doesn't have acid for blood.

Kate smiles at him as best she can. "Kiss me." He wasn't real, he couldn't be so kissing him will just be a dream.

Rick is a little taken aback by the request. What was it about her and kissing, but she was a pretty good kisser so he leaned in and kissed her.

Rick could soon see that her tongue was caressing his lips asking for entrance so he gave it and deepened the kiss.

Kate was enjoying the kiss. This kiss felt different somehow. Kate didn't understand how this kiss would be any different from the others.

Kate broke from the kiss to get some air but that also brought a twinge of pain.

Kate could see that his lips were still right there, so she gave him a quick kiss then settled back down.

"If you're done kissing her dad, you want to feed her?" Alexis was upstairs and had heard Kate ask him to kiss her and then watched the whole thing.

Rick jerked up and turned a bright red looking at his daughter standing there with a bowl of soup and a spoon.

Rick doesn't see since his head is turned the wrong way but Alexis does. Kate is smirking at his embarrassment.

Alexis puts the bowl and spoon down. "I'm going to go back to bed. You can feed her or go back to kissing her, but if you do anything more than kiss her I don't want to know about it, or I'll need therapy." Alexis teases her father. And leaves him standing there with his mouth opening and closing like a fish.

Alexis is grinning all the way down the stairs, patting herself on the back figuratively for getting her dad good.

"Let's try sitting you up a little so you can eat this. When you're done I'll give you something for the pain and lay you back down so you can sleep." Rick moves in and lifts Kate up a little and shoves pillows behind her back.

Kate moans a little since it did hurt some. And Rick starts spoon feeding Kate,

Now it's Kate's turn to blush. The man in her dreams is spoon feeding her in his daughter's bed.

Between spoons. "Pumpkin?" Kate says questioningly.

Rick smiles. "When Alexis was little, really little and just learning to walk. Her hair was growing out and it was rather orange in color. It's turning a little redder now, but I'm guessing it'll always have an orange tint to it.

She looked like a miniature pumpkin with legs and I started calling her pumpkin in addition to her real name. And it stuck.

She's such a joy to have around. I never thought about having children when I was younger, now I can't imagine my life without her." Rick explains. "She means the world to me."

"Where's her mother?" Kate asks with the words getting easier now that her lips and throat felt better.

"We're divorced. Alexis couldn't even crawl and I came home and found my wife in bed riding her director for some movie, TV show or commercial she was in. There was a big fight and I got custody of Alexis.

Meredith shows up in town un-announced once in a while when the mood suits her. I put up with it since she IS Alexis's mother. But truth is she'll never be a real mother. I do my best with her, but she's getting to the years when things are going to become more, …. Difficult." Rick tells her, not really knowing why.

"Puberty." Kate offers.

"Yea, I'm still trying to figure out how to talk to her about what she needs to do. Alexis is smart, almost crazy smart actually. I'm pretty sure she knows WHAT is coming, just not WHAT is coming. Reading and doing are two different things." Rick was still struggling with what was coming.

Rick kept feeding her and the bowl was getting empty. "Alexis thinks you're an alien from outer space." Rick ventures into unmarked territory.

"I'm from a planet we call Tellus. We were out on a deep space exploration mission looking for a planet we didn't have a name for but kinda knew where it was. We had just entered its system when the ship was sabotaged and destroyed. Some of the people responsible escaped in a shuttle. I got out in an emergency life pod." Kate explains.

"The giant sea urchin." Rick guesses. Internally jumping up and down about talking to a real live alien, barely able to contain himself.

Kate gives him a questioning look.

"I'm betting this life pod as you call it is round with spines sticking out all around it." Rick offers. Still trying to wrap his mind around the ALIEN part.

"Yea, the spines deploy after launch. I'm not sure what they're for. There are short ones and long ones." Kate tells him.

"On this planet, …. This planet. That's going to take some getting used to. … There is this small sea creature, kinda purple in color usually and it has small spines all around it. I'm told they are actually rather tasty. Not that I've had one." Rick explains.

Kate was finished with the bowl of soup. "We should get you back into bed so you can sleep." And Rick helps her lay back down with a minor amount of pain.

"I'll go get that pain shot so you can get to sleep." And Rick heads off downstairs.

Kate was confused a little still. She was on a planet, not hers and must be the one they were headed for. But listening to Rick she didn't think they had space travel, which was weird. They should, shouldn't they?

Rick was back with the morphine and injected it into the tubing that leads to her arm.

"There give that a minute and you should be able to get to sleep." Rick bends down and kisses her forehead. "Go to sleep, one of us will always be here if you need something." And Rick pushes a few of Kate's hairs away from her face and heads for his room still wearing nothing but shorts.

Kate watched him leave and turn off the light. Now she had something to add to her dreams of him. She had seen him half naked!

Inside his room Rick is jumping up and down in his mind, but is pumping his arm vigorously a few times. 'A real live alien' AND he kissed her. It doesn't get any better than this!

It took over an hour for Rick to get back to sleep. The morphine however got Kate to sleep in no time, with a half naked Rick becoming completely naked Rick in her dreams.


	10. Chapter 10

**CH10**

Rick checked on Kate before going downstairs after showering finding her asleep. He knew by the sound that Alexis was already up and had showered. An alien, how cool was this?

Rick found her in the kitchen trying to think of what to eat for breakfast. Fresh milk was long gone, leaving only the powdered, canned or condensed milk so cold cereal, even though they still had a couple of boxes was out. Fresh eggs were down in the basement freezer(s).

Kate's arrival and their early return from camping had meant they had forgotten to take some out of the freezer and put them in the refrigerator.

"I'll go get the eggs." Rick offered. "We can make omelets tomorrow." And Rick kisses her head and heads downstairs.

They had some frozen cream cheese down there too, but they had learned when you did that it was only good if you used it to bake something with it. So bagels with cream cheese was also out.

They needed eggs for pancake mix too.

There were some Pillsbury Cinnamon buns in the refrigerator so Alexis got those out and put them in the oven. Orange juice was easy, they had a lot of Donald Duck frozen orange juice, so Alexis started stirring that in a pitcher.

Rick came back with the eggs (18 in the carton) along with some frozen bread, along with some frozen cinnamon twist bread. He knew Alexis loved that bread. Not surprised when he found cinnamon buns in the oven. If it has cinnamon in it Alexis ate it.

Even homemade chili had to have a touch of cinnamon in it. So while Rick was thinking of that he checked to see if he needed anything from the freezer again to make it later.

"HELLO?" Came from upstairs.

"I'll go you watch the oven." Rick offered.

"You just want to go so she can kiss you again." Alexis was off to a fast start this morning taking jabs at her dad.

"Well it beats having you kiss her." Rick countered.

"Oooo gross dad." Alexis scrunched up her face. Rick just chuckled and went upstairs.

"Hi how are you feeling this morning?" Rick approached and came in close so she could see him.

"A little pain but not bad. Something smells good." Kate could feel her stomach rumbling.

"I can let you try one, but I don't want to overload your system. You've been through a lot lately and our food may not agree with you." Rick wanted to be careful. She was an alien from outer space after all.

"I'll risk it." Kate was hungry which told her she was getting better.

"I'll bring one up along with this morning's antibiotic shot. Then I'll get Alexis to give you a sponge bath and then we can clean you wounds and change the bandages." Rick offers.

"You sure you don't want to give me the sponge bath?" Kate teases him.

"I uhm, … I think, … I'll let Alexis do it." Rick was lost here, she had gotten him good.

"Spoil sport." Kate was looking forward to him giving her a bath. Speaking of bath. "Do you have a bathtub?" Kate asks praying mightily. Kate has been dreaming of using a tub.

"There is only the one bathroom in the house and it's through that door." And Rick points. "And it's a combo bath/shower with a tub, so yes." Rick tells her.

JACKPOT! Kate hadn't had a bath since they left their planet, all the ship had were showers.

Rick could see her face light up. "IF we can come up with a way to keep your leg wound dry you can use it. Otherwise you are going to have to wait." Rick breaks the bad news.

Kate was willing to stick her whole leg out of the tub if it meant she could get in it. Miracles do happen.

"Ready dad." Alexis calls up.

"Be right back, one cinnamon bun and orange juice coming right up." Rick gets up and goes downstairs.

First however he prepares an antibiotic shot. "Do we have enough dad?" Alexis asks meaning the shots they have been giving her.

"We have enough to do this for weeks yet for all three of us. Blood however is another story. Hopefully it won't come to that." Rick tells her. Plasma wasn't blood.

Rick took a couple of cinnamon buns and two glasses of orange juice upstairs. First he gave Kate her shot then he lifted her up a little and used pillows to prop her up.

Kate felt the pain when she moved but she was listening mostly to her stomach.

"Here, you might want to eat it slowly just to be safe. I've also got you a glass of orange juice to wash it all down with." Rick puts the glass down next to the bed.

Kate takes the cinnamon bun and takes a giant bite out of it ignoring Rick and his advice.

"Hhmmm, dis is good." Kate liked it a lot and ate the whole thing in no time. Rick had to hand her the glass since her broken arm was on the same side as the glass.

"Hhmmmm, this is good too." Kate had half of it gone in no time.

"Can I ask what that is on your arm?" Rick asks pointing at her good arm holding the glass.

Kate suddenly looks worried. "On the ship I was the chief security officer. As such I was the only one on the ship who was armed." Kate offers testing his reaction.

"So that is a weapon. Lethal or non-lethal?" Rick wonders.

"Both actually. It can fire a stun burst that overloads the targets sensory receptors rendering the target unconscious and it can fire a defender round made up of a mini ball of plasma that is encased in magnetic membrane," Kate tries to explain.

"You're not going to find one of those here, so I hope for your sake you know how to make the rounds for it." Rick tells her thinking they are like bullets.

"The power cell is regenerating so it actually has an unlimited number of shots to it." Kate tells him cringing what he would think.

"That's cool!" Rick would love to have one. "Have you got another one?" Rick will take it if she does.

Kate looks at him like he's nuts. "Sorry just the one." Kate tells him convinced he's crazy.

Rick looks dejected, just his luck.

"Is there another one of those." Kate asks meaning cinnamon bun.

"Sure let me go get you one." Rick us up and back in no time.

Kate actually takes her time with this one and washes it down with the last of her orange juice.

"You ready for your sponge bath, I'll go see if Alexis is ready." Rick takes her empty glass and goes downstairs.

Alexis was soon upstairs. "We need you lying down." And Alexis removes the pillows and helps Kate lay down with just a little pain.

"I'll be right back." And she goes into the bathroom and comes back with a large bowl, a sponge and a towel.

"I need to unwrap you from all this. If it hurts too much let me know." And Alexis begins exposing Kate. Wets her sponge rings it out and starts cleaning using the towel to dry her immediately.

"All done, feel better?"

"Thanks Alexis it's kind of you." Kate would prefer a nice hot bath but that was still good.

"Can I ask a question?" Alexis is curious.

"Of course, ask away." Kate owes them.

"Why did you kiss my dad?" Alexis is sure there is a reason.

Kate wasn't expecting that question. "Uhm, well, …. On our trip there was always this person in my dreams. I'd never seen him before and I didn't know his name. I'm not even sure I ever gave him one. And he would, …. I mean we would, …. it's complicated.

Then suddenly he was staring at me right in front of my face and his face was soooo clear compared to my dreams. I kissed him because I couldn't resist. I honestly didn't think he was real. I'm still not 100% sure that he or even you are real.

If the guy in my dreams is real that's just, …. I don't know, it's scary." Kate tells her hoping Rick wasn't listening in. Kate felt she owed his daughter an explanation.

"Please don't hurt him, he's my dad."

"I promise not to intentionally hurt him. …. Is this where you two live?" Kate was wondering just where she was. She remembered something about a main water pipe problem.

"Our main home is in downtown New York City, this is our summer vacation home. New York City is huge and very busy and loud. We come out here to get away from it all. It's very isolated out here, there isn't anyone for countless miles. We're all alone out here." Alexis explains.

"Is my being here causing problems?" Kate asks knowing things on the ship were in some ways limited.

"We have lots of food and water for the summer, nothing to worry about. Plus we have two greenhouse's out back and a garden to grow still more things. Plus a number of fruit trees. Our propane tanks for cooking and A/C is limited but we'll last the summer without trouble.

We have solar power cells on the roof and a pair of windmills with battery backup so power isn't a problem. If we stay here too long the propane will run out but that's all.

Plus dad goes hunting to make our meat last longer. You're being here isn't a problem, honest." Alexis tells her.

And when Kate was up and mobile again Alexis was looking forward to having someone to share her summer vacation with.

"Your dad said something about a camping trip when you found me." Kate remembers.

"Yea were were a little over a day away from here to go camping next to a lake. You interrupted it. We may not get to go again this summer. We only have two quads and we fill them just for the two of us." Alexis figured they wouldn't get to go back unless Kate left.

"I'm sorry Alexis." Kate knew her arrival was interfering with their fun.

"It's ok honest. We can still go camping; we have the space to include you when you are better. We just can't get back to the lake since it's too far. It's no big deal."

Alexis got up and went to the railing overlooking downstairs. "I'm done you can come up dad."

Rick was upstairs shortly. "Let's take a look at your chest, I want to make sure you are not bleeding internally. Then move on to changing your bandages."

"I'll be downstairs if you need me dad." And Alexis is gone leaving them alone.

Kate smiles and lifts up everything to expose her chest so Rick can look at her ribs and her chest.

Rick swallows noticeably and proceeds to search her ribs below her exposed chest area trying to keep his eyes on what he is doing.

"It seems you are good. I'll get the bandages to replace yours and clean your wounds." Rick starts to get up and leave.

"You haven't checked all my ribs you know." And Kate uses her good arm to grab one of his hands and place it directly on her exposed breast.

Rick swallows a little harder. Was she trying to kill him?

Kate still has her hand in his and moves his around from breast to breast and in-between. This was better than any dream so far.

"FEEL anything?" Kate asks him looking down to see if she is getting a response. "No damage?" Kate moves his hand to cover her left breast and then uses her hand to get his fingers to give her nipple a little squeeze.

However Kate's moves were getting her to start breathing heavier than before and doing so was hurting but it seemed worth it at the moment. But she knew if she kept this up the pleasure and fun was going to change to pain.

Rick however had reached his end and decided that payback for this teasing was required. So he cupped her breast in his hand and lifted himself up and kissed her.

His tongue was soon caressing her lower lip while he squeezed her breast and Kate opened her mouth allowing him entrance. He immediately started to explore her mouth and her taste.

Rick broke from the kiss to get some air then gave her a couple of quick kisses.

Kate got just what she wanted but the kiss was lasting a little too long and breathing after he stopped was painful at first. Kate now knew that she was going to have to stick with light kissing until her ribs healed.

"I'm going to go get the first aid supplies I need." Rick tells her and starts to get up. However he gives her nipple under his hand a hard squeeze catching Kate by surprise.

After Rick disappeared into the bathroom Kate started to wiggle a little. The man in her dreams was apparently real and she could touch him and he was a little bashful about touching her. He was sweet and she liked his kisses.

His real kisses were better than her dream kisses. Still was he real. She had been praying for him to be real for some time now.

Rick was soon back and cleaned her wounds again looking to make sure there was no infection then bandaged her back up again. Then he wrapped her up in her little cocoon.

"You should get some more sleep. Only rest is going to heal those ribs. When you wake again we'll see if you are ready to eat something." Rick leans down and gives Kate a quick kiss and then goes downstairs.

Rick didn't find Alexis downstairs and guessed she was outside somewhere. So he sat down and started to think about what had just happened and make sense of it all.

Kate was obviously interested. Alexis was teasing him, had the two talked and she knew something he didn't?

More importantly what was he going to do when she could get around easier? Oh he was in big trouble. But he had a topic he needed to talk with Alexis about so he got up and went looking for her. Starting with the greenhouses.


	11. Chapter 11

**CH11**

Rick found Alexis in the glass greenhouse tending all her plants. Rick hadn't been in any of them since he set them up. He was impressed; Alexis had done a lot of work. There were a lot of trays with little green plants poking out of them, and there were pots everywhere.

Alexis had two shelves on each side and they were both filled with plants. She even had a pair of those upside down tomato plant holders. He still wasn't quite sure how those worked, but fresh tomatoes would be nice.

"Hi pumpkin how goes the greenhouse?" Rick interrupted her work.

"Hi dad, are you done kissing her?" Alexis had to get in one more jab.

"Pumpkin?" Rick moaned.

Alexis giggled, maybe she was laying it on kinda thick.

"Actually Kate is who I wanted to talk to you about. …. I was thinking when we rescued her we would take her into town and leave her with the doc and let the sheriff know so they could find her family." Rick starts off.

"Except she doesn't have any family." Alexis hadn't thought about that. She didn't really have a mother, just dad and grams. But to not have ANY family must be rough.

"Yea, and what happens if the doc finds something that shouldn't be there or is gone." Rick wonders.

Now Alexis was confused and looks it.

"If she really is an alien, she may have an internal organ that we don't or has an extra one that we don't. Her blood may have something in it that ours doesn't. What happens to her then?" Rick was worried about long term for Kate.

"You've been watching too many cheap Sci-fi movies dad." Alexis teases him but he did have a point.

"I'm wondering if she should stay here with us until it's time to go home. Would that be ok with you?" Rick needed her approval; no wanted her approval would be more accurate.

"And then what dad?"

"We get her a fake ID, easy enough to do in New York and let her do what she wants." Rick suggests.

"With no friends, no money and no job. Walking around with a thing on her arm. What is that thing anyway?" Alexis was curious about it, just hadn't asked.

Rick decides to skip over that question. "So you don't mind if she stays till end of summer?" And we have an alien in the house.

"No dad I don't mind. It might be nice to have someone to share summer vacation with. We'll have to camp closer to home. …. It's ok dad, really." Alexis was looking forward to her staying. She had a lot of questions. A real live alien in her home, how cool was that?!

"Camping will have to wait at least a month till her ribs heal so there is no pain." Rick cautions her in case she was thinking of going camping sooner.

"It's ok dad, we've got all summer. I'll bet she has great stories to tell around the campfire out back." Alexis was dying to hear Kate's stories and about her planet. Lots of cool alien stories.

"I'll bet she does at that. I'm going to go type, yell when you are ready for lunch." And Rick heads inside to work on his next book while Alexis worked and Kate slept.

While Rick typed he found that his new character was kinda slutty, she couldn't stop thinking of sex and not just any sex, kinky sex. Chains, whips, cuffs, hot wax countless things.

Rick was all set to delete it all after he re-read what he had typed, then decided to keep it and work around it for the time being.

"Come on Rick, it was just a kiss!" …. And her bare chest and hard nipples, plus the teasing from his daughter. Rick ran his hand down his face. "Oh this is going to be a long summer."

Rick was typing away when he noticed Alexis standing in front of him with a sandwich and a glass of Kool-aid.

Rick takes it. "Thanks pumpkin." Rick saves his work and starts in on his sandwich.

"I'm going upstairs to check on Kate." Alexis tells him before going up the stairs.

Alexis was back down in about a minute. "She's still sleeping. … You know you could go up and kiss her awake dad." Alexis can't help it, teasing her dad was fun.

"And what if that next kiss turns me into a frog?" Rick counters having a little fun. Do aliens have real cooties?

"Then Kate and I could have frogs legs for dinner. "Alexis tells him and runs for the door, just missing being hit by the throw pillow Rick had thrown at her.

Kate however had woke up hearing Alexis going down the stairs and had just barely overheard their conversation. Kate was ginning, Alexis was having fun at her dads expense.

Kate decided it was time to test just how far the real man in her dreams was willing to go.

"Rick" Kate called out. This was soon followed by her seeing him walking towards the bed and sitting on the edge.

"You ready for lunch?"

Kate however reached up with her good hand and grabbed him and pulled him down and kissed him. She didn't even try to ask for entrance just plunged right in. Testing to see if he was really real.

Kate was pleasantly surprised when he kissed her back and soon there was a dueling of the tongues. Kate was enjoying the kiss however all too soon the pain started. Her ribs just couldn't take this, so she stopped.

"I'll take that as a yes." Rick tells her and starts to get up.

Kate however has other ideas and pulls him back down again. This time she kisses him softly trying to put some of her wants and needs into the kiss.

When the pain gets to be too much Kate stops and is amused that he has a look of 'Why did you stop?' on his face.

Kate had her answer; when she was better she was going to find out what else he was good at besides kissing. Her dream was a reality so why shouldn't she. It's not like she was going to fall in love with him. Kate didn't fall in love. Just not possible.

"Lunch would be great." Kate tells him but not letting go of him just yet.

"I need to go downstairs if you want lunch." Rick needed her to let go of him if she really wanted to eat something.

"Hhhmmm, kiss me first." Kate asks softly. Was he willing to kiss her or only because she had kissed him. If he initiated the kiss did that make him real?

Rick responds by leaning down and kissing her softly matching what she did last time.

Kate lets go of him just as he starts kissing her and he doesn't stop until she breaks from the kiss needing air and needing for the pain to stop.

Kate can see his lips are still just a whisper above hers and that he is smiling at her. Then he gives her a quick kiss and leaves the room.

He is soon back with a sandwich like the one he had already eaten and a glass of Kool-aid from the pitcher Alexis had made.

"Kate what was your deep exploration trip about? Why were you out there? …. Here? Somewhere?" Rick asks.

"I'm not very religious but our ancient written scriptures talk about a planet in our past that was in this system. Problem is a number of people on Tellus are religious fanatics, and thought that coming here was a violation of the gods.

They're willing to do anything to achieve the results they want, they'll blow themselves to hell and gone trying to take as many other people with them as they can." Kate tells him.

"I take it they didn't want you to come here?" Rick reasons.

Kate shakes her head. "No, we had already launched one other long range exploration ship but we lost contact with it so we built another. It's likely that one or more of these fanatic's, we call them "Rags" probably got on the ship and destroyed it along with themselves." Kate guesses.

"Rags?" Rick didn't see how that word worked with fanatics.

"Most of these same fanatics also think we should live in simpler times, none of this technology that we have. As such the clothes they prefer to wear are simple and handmade. Rags if you will." Kate explains.

"They wear rags so you call them rags." Rick gets the word now.

"Hhmmm." Kate tells him taking another bite of her sandwich.

"Is that what happened to your ship? Rags got on board?" If they got the other ship maybe they got this one.

"Sort of; Intelligence places one of the leaders of the Rags as being one William Bracken. He used to be one our higher councilmen until he got religion. It's believed that he has been using his fortune helping the Rags achieve their goals." Kate explains.

"But you don't believe this." Rick can hear it in her voice.

Kate is amazed, how did he do that. "No, I think he is after a bigger goal and he is just using the Rags as peons to do his dirty work." Kate tells him.

"He did something to you didn't he?" Rick can see it, sense it maybe, feel it coming off her in waves.

Kate stops eating in mid bite. How did he know? And why is he in my dreams? I don't love him but I want him so badly. What is it I expect out of him? Can he fix, …..?

"There was a meeting that was taking place that he was the chairman of. He excused himself just before a Rag came in and blew the building to pieces along with everyone in it.

Security cameras showed him running out of the building just before it blew. An investigation of all the bodies that could be recovered lead to a conclusion that all of the security personnel out front screening people to keep Rags out were in fact all Rags.

I found a connection between some of these security people and Bracken." Kate explains.

"But that's not why you hate him. What did he do Kate?" Rick asks feeling she is leaving something out.

Kate finds her breathing becoming more difficult. Can these people read minds? How does he know?

Kate puts what's left of her sandwich down. "One of the council members was my mother." Kate finally tells him.

Rick suddenly sees the connection and suddenly looks sad. "She was in that building." Rick tells her not really guessing.

Kate nods her head and tears start falling. "She would have been sitting right next to him just before he got up and left. …. I've been hunting him down ever since. Until I was assigned to this ship." Kate wipes away some of the tears.

Rick moves in and does his best to hug her without trying to put pressure on her ribs. "How did he get on board?" Rick asks her with her head on his shoulder.

"He, … he was using a chameleon suit." Kate sniffles.

Rick pulls back but holds onto her and looks into her eyes. "Chameleon suit?" Rick knew the word and could guess.

Kate sniffles again. "It's a high tech suit that allows you to look like someone else. They're illegal and dangerous."

"Figures, he would have needed something to keep from being recognized. How did he escape?" Rick asks her.

Kate's face now looks shocked. "How, ….?"

"He was a councilman with ambitions and used these Rags to achieve a goal. He needed to escape and your ship was next in line so he got himself on board. He either brought Rags with him or bought people on board.

He was probably surprised to find you on board and sabotaged it to kill you and everyone else. But since he doesn't want to die, he would have had a way off the ship before it blew. What was it?" Rick displays his thinking.

Kate is amazed, who is he? "He escaped in a shuttle with one other person."

"Long range shuttle or short range?" Rick asks.

"It's too far back to Tellus." Kate tells him.

"Short range then. That means he is on this planet somewhere with a chameleon suit." Rick figures.

Kate shakes her head. "I shot him just before he boarded the shuttle and damaged his suit. He's going to need to find someone to repair it if they can."

"If you shot him then how did he get on the shuttle? You said it stuns or shoots plasma balls which sound kind of lethal by the way."

"I was shooting stun, the suit would have sacrificed itself preventing him from being stunned." Kate explains still looking at Rick amazed.

"So he's on this planet and he used to be in politics. Likely he will adapt and get into our politics." Rick reasons.

"This is not good, not good at all." Rick sees trouble ahead.

"Why?" Bracken was all alone. A stranger on a strange planet, just like her.

"Because our own politics is ripe with people just like him all over the planet. Corrupt and in it for themselves or the party they represent. Perfect place for him." Rick shakes his head not liking this at all.

"Plus we have our own religious fanatics only too willing to blow themselves up to injure as many people as possible. Buses, planes, trains, restaurants, anyplace with large numbers of people crowded together." Rick is forced to explain.

"Great you have your own Rags." Kate is deflated.

"Their numbers are limited and most of it takes place far from here." Rick assures her.

"At least that is something." Kate feels a little better about losing Bracken.

"Kate, …. you're from a different planet and yet you look exactly like us and you speak our language. When in fact our planet is filled with countless different languages." It was something that had been bugging him for a little while now.

"Rick?" Kate was worried about what he would think if he knew what she knew. "Please don't ask. At least not now." Kate begs. "Please!"

"Only if you promise that you will tell me someday soon." Rick relents.

"I promise." Kate tells him.

"You should go back to sleep. The sooner your ribs heal the sooner you can get out of bed. It's going to be really nice outside soon." Rick takes away her pillows and gets her to lie back down.

Rick had her all cocooned again and started to leave when Kate stopped him. "Need something?" Rick asks. "Bathroom break maybe?"

Kate shakes her head. "Kiss me."

Rick smiles and leans down with the intent of giving her a quick kiss, however as soon as he gets in reach Kate grabs him and holds him in place and kisses him until her ribs start to hurt, before letting go.

Rick smiles. "Call if you want something." And Rick heads downstairs.

One of these days he's going to have to ask what it is about her kissing him. Not that he's complaining, she's a good kisser. If her planet was all about people kissing, he lived on the wrong planet.


	12. Chapter 12

**CH12**

Rick and Alexis were outside. Rick was working on setting up for a campfire tonight by setting the wood and kindling in the fire pit. The smores mixing's were all already set out in the kitchen waiting for them.

Alexis had just finished setting up the mini stereo system with a couple of CD's to listen to if they wanted it. Not likely but still it didn't hurt to be prepared.

They were also going to cook on the same campfire tonight. Alexis had talked her dad into doing this instead of making chili. Not that she didn't like her dad's chili, she did, but this felt better for some reason.

Kate had woken up and could tell that the sun was going down. The sun! Now there was a new concept she was going to have to get used to again. Kate had been on a ship in space for a while now. Sure it was fast but a luxury liner it was not.

Kate had to go. "RICK?" Not getting any response. "Alexis?" Still nothing.

Her bladder was going to burst soon so she started trying to un-cocoon herself.

Kate got most of the covers off and found that she was still naked from when Alexis had given her that sponge bath, still wishing Rick had done it instead. Nothing would of happened, not in her present condition, but that didn't mean she couldn't enjoy teasing him some.

Kate had managed to swing her legs out of the bed. Her leg because of the gash almost looked like a cast it was so wrapped up. Plus her arm still had that air cast on it, oh this was going to be fun.

Kate sat up in bed which caused a twinge of pain, her ribs were still sore.

Kate's first attempt and standing caused her to fall back into bed on her butt. This only increased the pain. "Even if I get up I'm going to have to hop to the bathroom." Expecting even more pain.

"HELLO!" Kate tried one more time.

"KATE!" Alexis had heard that one and races inside and up the stairs.

Finding Kate sitting on the edge of the bed with no clothes on. "What are you doing?" This better be good or Alexis was going to give this alien a piece of her mind.

"Bathroom, now." Kate was about ready to burst.

"OH!, … I'll get dad." And Alexis starts to turn.

"No, just help me. Please?" Kate didn't have time to wait. Though having Rick hold her naked had a certain appeal to it. But right now she had priorities.

Alexis moved in and did her best to help Kate up and hobble to the bathroom. Once Kate was sitting on the toilet Alexis turned to leave.

"No, stay, please! Just turn around." Kate asked her. So Alexis stood there ramrod straight waiting for Kate to finish.

"You push one of the buttons on top to flush." Alexis would explain which button was for #1 and #2 some other time. "And there are moist towelettes in that little box on the counter. Just push the button on top to pop it open."

After Alexis heard the toilet flush. "Help me up?" Kate asked.

With a little work Alexis had Kate back in bed and started to wrap her back up. "What were you and Rick doing?" Kate figured they must have not been just downstairs waiting for her to call them.

"We were outside getting the campfire for tonight ready. We're going to cook outside and then make smores while looking up at the stars or stare into the campfire. There is just something about a campfire that makes you want to stare at it." Alexis explains.

"Campfire, sounds like fun." Kate hadn't been out camping or even sitting next to a campfire since she was a little girl. Younger than Alexis even.

"Maybe dad can carry you to it. We don't have crutches or a wheelchair. Dad carried you up here, maybe he can carry you down." Alexis considered it.

Kate didn't know what a wheelchair was but it didn't sound too hard to figure out. A chair with wheels.

"I don't want to be a bother, but am I supposed to sit out there naked?" Kate was wondering.

Suddenly Alexis stopped trying to cocoon Kate. "Clothes! …. Uh oh." They didn't have any clothes for Kate. Kate was too big for hers and kinda small for dads. This could be a problem.

Alexis finished cocooning Kate into bed. "I'll go talk to dad." And raced down the stairs. They had a problem.

Alexis runs out to Rick who was just finishing putting the wood together for the campfire in the fire pit. "Dad we have a problem."

"Oh, is the power out? Is the water off? You lost the smores." Rick looks deflated.

"No dad." Trying not to sound like she just got insulted. Honestly, losing the smores mixings?

"I told Kate about our campfire tonight and she thought it sounded like fun. But dad, …. she doesn't have any clothes." Alexis tells him.

Rick instantly has an internal 'Oh shit' moment. Even worse, they didn't have any feminine products either. "And if she stays here for long she is going to need some. But for tonight I think we can give her some of mine. Might not fit properly but it's all we have.

We need to wait until she can go with us too. I'm going to need your help getting out to go into town to get her some if any trees are down. I'm not comfortable leaving her alone. It might take us a long time to get to town depending on how many trees are down." Rick thinks ahead. The sooner Kate was up the better, before she had her first period. Do aliens have periods?

"You go talk with her see if she is ok with all this. I'll go get the chairs." Lucky that they had one for her to sit in.

Rick had just finished setting up the chairs when Alexis was back.

"She said she would survive. But she wanted to know if we have any, … well any, … uhm, ..." Alexis was embarrassed. She was embarrassed when Kate brought it up, trying to tell her dad was even worse.

Rick had to smile at her trouble at telling him. "And no we don't, did you tell her?"

Alexis nodded her head. "Did you ask when?"

Alexis shakes her head. "She didn't know exactly. Kate thinks maybe a week or more, two at the most."

"I'm going to stop giving her morphine and switch to pills, she seems to be handling the pain pretty well. …. You want to go give her a pill for the pain and give her some of my clothes? Then let me know when you are done and I'll carry her down." Rick asks of her.

"Ok dad, do I give her some of your boxers too?" They literally didn't have anything for her.

"You can offer, leave it up to her." Rick tells her and watches her leave.

Rick went to get more wood for later that night and the screen to put over the fire to cook with.

Alexis was soon on the porch. "Ready dad." Alexis yelled out at him.

"Well aren't you pretty." Rick had to tease her wearing his sweats that are way too big for her.

Kate just glares at him. "You ready to go downstairs and outside?" Getting a nod from Kate.

"Then let's get started." And Rick moves in and works to get her lifted and in a good position.

"Get the doors pumpkin." Rick asks of her.

Rick soon had her outside and sitting in one of the chairs. "How was that? Any pain?"

Kate was in a little pain but she shook her head no anyway. Now that she was out here she was staying.

"It's pretty out here. Is this all yours?" Kate could see the open valley and the tree line in the distance.

"The property line is a little beyond the tree line way out there. It reaches the stream off to our right and a little beyond. And a little of the woods off to the left is also. Then out front it is all ours all the way to the bridge that goes over the same stream and then on until you reach the dirt road." Rick explains.

Kate tried to twist around to see the house behind her but this caused pain so she stopped trying.

"Those are the solar panels you talked about?" Kate saw some of them.

"Yea, the ones on the patio help make hot water and the ones on the roof make power." Rick agrees.

"And I saw the greenhouses and the windmills." Kate notes.

"Alexis also has a garden over there, the greenhouse's are new this year. We've tried to be as self sufficient as possible. There is also a small cistern over near the garden and there is a well on the other side of the greenhouses that you can't see from here." Rick ads, proud of their little house.

"And you stay out here all summer?"

"A little bit of spring, all summer and into a little bit of fall. We would probably run out of propane, you can't see the two tanks from here, if we stayed all winter. It gets really cold this far north.

We even had snow on the ground early last year before we left." Rick tells her.

"I saw a big stove/oven downstairs on the way out." Kate asks about it.

"That is a pellet stove. It is large enough to heat the whole house. It uses little pellets of compressed hard woods and paper.

We brought up 50 40-pound bags with us on this trip which is about 1-ton worth in weight. There was already about 3 ½ tons already out here. We used some of it last year due to the weather.

Each ton should last us about 3 months on the lowest temperature setting. Of course the colder it gets outside the higher we will want to set the temperature at so we will use more pellets.

However even at a middle setting for the entire winter it should last us 6 months. It's the propane that would worry me if we were here all winter. They're not scheduled to be filled till spring of next year.

If we were to stay here all winter, we would need to use the pellet stove as soon as we wanted heat or we would easily run out of propane.

We also don't have enough gasoline for the quads to help with hunting for game with.

So long as we can hunt for food to make our food supplies last food also wouldn't be a problem." Rick explains their situation in better detail.

"Even with me here? I know you weren't expecting me and I thank you for saving my life by the way. I'd be dead if it wasn't for you and Alexis." Kate tells them now that she is awake long enough to thank them.

"You're welcome, we're glad we were in the area. As for you using up more of our supplies, it's not really a problem. The two greenhouse's will make more than the two of us would ever need, I think?" Looking at Alexis since they are her babies.

Alexis smiles. "We could become vegetarians almost. We will have more than enough, though the greenhouses are only now just getting started."

"We have 4 huge freezers full of stuff down in the basement. In fact all four only just barely fit down the stairs they are so big. We've barely pulled anything out of them so far this summer. And the dry storage is also full to overflowing.

We're fine, honest. We just need to get you some clothes somehow. Amongst other things."

Kate smiles knowing what he means by 'other things'.

"I'm thinking as soon as you're more mobile we can take a couple of days and go into town and get you some clothes. Something that will fit you."

Kate raises her arms as best she can to show off how baggy his sweatshirt was on her. Not to mention how baggy his sweatpants were on her. His boxers weren't quite as bad but still big.

"That sounds nice, thanks. …. Do you have a computer?" Kate had an idea, and she had another very important question.

"We have my two laptops and our two cell phones. The laptops are just simple ones, not all that powerful. I use them to write with." Rick explains.

"Write?" Kate was hoping for a big powerful one, but then she was in the middle of nowhere it would seem.

"Dad writes murder mysteries. His latest Derrick Storm novels have been on the best seller list." Alexis speaks up standing up for her dad and what he does.

A writer. The man in her dreams is a writer. Kate doesn't remember that part. But then she can't remember what he did in her dreams beyond making love to her. And here he was standing next to her in the middle of nowhere with only his daughter.

Was it his daughter who was with him in her dreams? Kate knew there was someone, she just never saw who it was. This was really weird.

Kate sat back and let them do all the work.

It was soon dark out and starting to get colder, however the fire in the fire pit warmed everyone up.

Rick soon came out with a folding table and him and Alexis started filling it up with fixings for dinner.

Kate was offered a choice. Beef or Venison, left over from a deer kill last season for her burger.

Kate decided to go bold and took Venison. Turned out so did Rick while Alexis took the beef option.

Kate was enjoying herself out here. It was quiet and peaceful. She could see all the stars in the distance. She had no idea which one was hers, she didn't even know if it was in this sky.

Plus the people who had saved her were nice, really nice. And Kate couldn't help look at Rick. The man she made love to in her dreams was real. What would making love to the real him do to her? Did he even want to? Kate was the one that did all the kissing. Well except for that one time.

Maybe it was her injuries that stopped him from trying? Was she going to get a chance to find out?

The burger had been delicious. It beat the crap out of eating ship food. That slop may be nutritionally balanced for you, but it was like eating baby food!

Kate had switched to staring at the fire. "What? I'm sorry I wasn't listening." Kate had been caught.

"I was asking why you wanted a computer?" Rick re-asks her.

Alexis had a knowing smile plastered on her face.

"Did you find a kind of box about 6 inches square and about 1 inch thick on me when you found me?" Kate answers his question with one of her own.

"It was in one of your pockets along with a few other things. It's all on my dresser in my bedroom upstairs. Where you are staying." Alexis tells her.

Kate relaxes noticeably. She could still see the question on Rick's face. Might as well tell them.

"A little before my ship exploded I downloaded Lucy onto a portable drive." Kate tells them.

"Lucy?" Alexis asked.

"Lucy is an A.I. that I used to help me in my duties as Chief Security Officer." Kate tells them a little worried.

"Lucy is a computer?" Rick asks.

Kate shakes her head. "Lucy is a program. She's also the main memory core about everything back on Tellus." Kate corrects him.

"You have an A.I. unit?" Alexis asks sounding excited. "COOL!"

"You want to see if you can connect Lucy to one of my laptops?" Rick thinks he understands.

"I'm hoping it will work, but you said it wasn't very powerful?" Kate did have a concern.

"I only use them for writing so they are not all that powerful." Rick tells her.

"The one at home is a lot better. I use that one now. It's a 27-inch iMac. It's new, we only just bought it before we came out here." Alexis offers up.

"Can you bring both of them out here so I can see?" Kate is dying to see if she can connect the two.

"I'll get them." Alexis tells her and runs inside.

A moment later she comes back out with 'Lucy' and one of her dad's laptops. "Here." As Alexis hands them over.

Kate looks over the laptop trying to figure it out.

Rick moves over and reaches over her to open the laptop to expose the screen. "This is the power button and on the side here are the two USB ports and this is the DVD read writer." Rick shows each one holding his head next to hers.

Kate was kinda paying attention but also paying attention to how close Ricks lips were to hers.

"Have you got any of these USB cables." Kate whispers out not trusting her voice.

"There are the cords that connect our smart phones to the computer." Rick offers.

"I'll find one." And Alexis is off again.

Kate turns her head to face Rick who is still leaning down next to her looking down at the laptop and Lucy. "Rick." Kate calls his name using a soft heavy voice.

Rick turns his head to face her, now his lips are a fraction away from hers. "Hhmmm?"

Kate tries to hold onto the laptop and Lucy with her bad arm and lifts her good hand to cup his face. "Kiss me, please." Kate whispers into his lips.

Rick doesn't question the request just leans in and kisses her.

Kate moves her hand to the back of his head and pulls it into her closer. Kate can soon feel his tongue caressing her lower lip and she opens her mouth allowing his tongue entrance.

Kate does the best she can to shut out the rest of the world and just kiss him while she probes his mouth with her tongue. Soon she can feel his hand on one of her breasts. Holding then massaging it.

Kate can't help but moan into the kiss. Kate ignores the pain in her chest as her ribs start to hurt. However she has to break for air.

Rick's hand is still on her breast and she looks into his eyes, liking what she sees Kate pulls his head down again and kisses him starting with where she left off. Moaning into the kiss once again.

Alexis has exited the house and makes it as far as the edge of the patio and finds her dad and Kate kissing again.

Alexis knows he has gone out on dates with other women and assumes her dad kissed them too. But she never saw any of those women. And she's pretty sure he never dated them again. He never even mentioned them again after the first date.

Alexis only knows the name of one or two of them, and only because she asked.

She knows from her conversation with Kate why she is drawn to her dad. Maybe Kate is different from the women her dad dated.

"Please don't hurt him." Alexis tells herself as a tear rolls down her face.


	13. Chapter 13

**CH13**

Alexis wipes away the tear. "Got it." She yells out.

Kate and Rick quickly break from the kiss and separate from each other. Alexis hands over the cable to Kate.

There was a connector on one end and a different looking one of the other. Taking the laptop she plugs one end into the laptop USB port and looks at the other end.

Putting Lucy between her legs she places the other end up against Lucy's only access port. Not surprisingly it doesn't fit.

Rick reaches down and takes Lucy from between Kate's legs. For just a split second Kate hoped his hand was going to do something else. But his daughter was standing right there.

Rick looks Lucy over. "I don't think I've seen anything like this. … Pumpkin?" Rick hands Lucy over to Alexis.

Alexis twists it around in her hand. "It's the only access dad. It kinda looks like those old printer connections but different." Alexis gives it back to her dad.

Rick looks more closely at it. "It needs a male end to fit into the female end. This is the only cable we have, I think."

Kate is deflated. Getting Lucy back just got harder. "Dad, how about that guy you know when Derek Storm needed computer help" Alexis asks.

"Johnathan? Yea he might be able to help." Rick thinks about it.

"Johnathan?" Kate asks.

"Dad does a lot of research for his books. There was this one time when Derek Storm needed to connect this special recorder to a computer so he could download what was on it." Alexis starts.

"I found this computer guru guy who could create one-off connector cables. I wanted there to be realism in the story. Not just something stupid that I made up." Rick explains. "It'll have to wait until we get home though." Rick tells her.

Kate handed everything back over. Apparently there was hope.

Rick took everything back inside.

After Rick was gone. "You like my dad, don't you?" Alexis wasn't bashful about asking. He was her dad.

"Alexis I don't know just how much I like him. He's kind and has nice soft eyes. Actually you've both been nice to me. It's just I feel drawn to him. It's hard to explain.

I promised Alexis and I'll keep it. Unless something happens I'll keep trying to figure it out. Hopefully your father will be willing to work it out with me. If you'll let me. Us." Kate tells her.

"Mom hurt him and I think she still hurts him. I just don't want to see him hurt again. I know he has dated since mom, but none of them worked out. I never saw any of them." Alexis explains.

"I don't know what to tell you Alexis. I've been alone for so long, the only person I've ever counted on was me. I haven't loved anyone since my mother, I don't even know if I can. It's been a long time." Kate tells her. She deserved the truth.

Rick came back before Alexis could say anything else.

"Ready for smores you two?" Rick asks them holding the fixings.

"Smores?" Kate has never heard the word.

"It's roasted marshmallows and chocolate between graham crackers." Alexis explains.

"CHOCOLATE!" Kate looks at them excited.

"Uh oh dad." It sounded like their chocolate stash was now in danger.

Kate's chair was too far away so they lifted her up and moved her chair so she could reach.

With her first smore in her hand Kate took a bite. "Hhhmmm, chocolate." Kate's face showed how much she liked it.

"We're in big trouble dad." Alexis whispered to him.

"Better go hide some of it in the freezers." Rick tells her and Alexis is off at a run.

Kate was ready to eat another one but decided she was already full so she went to roasting marshmallows and eating those. They were pretty good too.

Alexis had returned from hiding their chocolate from Kate. "Do you know which one is yours?" Alexis asks looking up at all the stars.

"No I don't. Lucy might. … When I was little, younger that you are now. My parent's idea of going camping was setting up a tent in our backyard. We didn't have a fire. But I got to lie on my sleeping bag and stare up at the night sky.

I didn't find out till a lot later just how many stars were in that night sky. Something about all the city lights blocked them out.

Until now I've never actually seen a night sky look like this." Kate tells them a little sad.

"Did you leave family behind? Anyone special?" Alexis asks.

"Just my father, mom died years ago. Though I think I lost him years ago too." Kate was getting sadder.

"Did something happen to him?" Alexis didn't see Kate's face so didn't know to stop digging.

"When mom died he took it hard and became someone else essentially. He retreated from the world and turned into someone else. He didn't die but he stopped being my father. There was no one else in my life." Kate had, had enough. "I'd like to go back inside now."

"Sure." And Rick worked at picking her up and carried her back upstairs. He stripped off the oversized sweats and wrapped Kate back up in her cocoon.

"I'll see you in the morning." And Rick started to leave.

"Rick, … I'm sorry if I ruined your evening." Kate was sorry her sad mood had killed everything.

Rick went back and leaned down to look at her. "You didn't ruin anything. Campfires are meant for people to get to know each other. I think we all learned something tonight." And kissed her forehead and turned to leave. But Kate stopped him.

"Rick, …. Kiss me, please?" Kate wanted to go to sleep feeling better.

Rick leaned down and kissed her and soon the battle of the tongues was on. Kate had found her hand in his hair and held his head down to keep him there. Rick soon had his hand on one of her breasts.

Kate broke from the kiss to get air but soon pulled his head back down and kissed him again. This kiss and his hand soon had her moaning into the kiss.

Kate broke from the kiss again and wanted to move his hand to someplace more satisfying but decided against pushing Rick any further than she already had.

"Good night Kate." Rick tells her. Then gives her a quick kiss and goes downstairs. Once downstairs he lingered for a time until his problem was no longer evident before he went back outside to Alexis.

Rick was sitting at the campfire. "I'm sorry dad, I have a big mouth."

"It's alright pumpkin, neither of us know much about her past or what her life was like back home. I'm sure there were good times too." Rick thought there had to be some.

"It doesn't sound like it. It sounds like all work." Alexis thought she heard a lot of sadness.

"Then I guess we'll just have to fix that, won't we?" Rick tells her looking at her.

Alexis was going to fix that alright. If she was going to continue kissing her dad, she needed to be happy. That would make her dad happy. And having her dad happy would make her happy. So yes, Alexis was just going to have to fix that.

Alexis was having a terrible time getting to sleep. It wasn't the pull out bed. They had a nice comfy foam top to put over the mattress that made it feel a lot better. There was even a mattress pad under it. No Alexis's problem was one Kate Beckett, upstairs in her room. To make Kate happy she needed a lot of answers. But she just couldn't start firing off question after question.

Alexis moaned, this was going to take time and she wanted Kate happy now.

Kate was awake too. Rick's kisses had fired her up. Her imagination was working overtime. And it was only making things worse. Problem was she also needed to use the bathroom now. Should could put up with the pain in her ribs, it was her leg and arm that were getting in the way.

"Rick, … Alexis?" Kate had to go, now!

Suddenly a light came on downstairs and she could hear Alexis flying up the stairs. "Kate?" Alexis looked scared.

"Can you help me to the bathroom again?" Kate hated being helped, but if she fell doing it herself, she may end up in bed for weeks to come. And that just wasn't an option. So she swallowed her pride.

"Sure." And Alexis un-wrapped her and helped her hobble into the bathroom.

Alexis turned her back. "Why didn't Rick come, he's closer isn't he?" Just the other side of the bathroom with the doors open even.

"Dad can sleep through a thunderstorm and not hear it. When I was little I had to jump up and down on him to get him to wake up." Alexis tells her.

Kate giggles. "I used to do that to my mom and dad. I would open their door and sneak in. Then crawl up from the foot of the bed and stand over them and then start jumping up and down and then fall on one of them.

I thought it was funny. I'm not so sure my parents did though." How did Alexis get her to remember a happy time so long ago? What was it with these two? "Looking back I think I kneed my dad below the belt one time. He suddenly started talking funny." Kate giggles.

"I don't think I ever did that. I usually aimed for his stomach." Alexis counters giggling.

"Take me back?" Kate was done and had flushed.

Alexis had Kate all wrapped up again. "Thanks Alexis." Kate thought she could manage but this was safer.

"Good night Kate." And Alexis kisses Kate on the forehead and goes downstairs. Soon the light is back off.

Kate laid there is shock. What did she do to deserve that?

Bracken was falling and scared out of his mind. This crap just wasn't him. Watch the needle, watch the needle.

Bracken waited until it was almost in the red then he pulled the cord just like Coonan had told him.

The Chute popped out and opened up and suddenly yanked him upwards while still falling. It took the wind out of him.

Bracken was looking down and he could see he was getting closer to the ground all the time. It looked like there was a city off in the distance, a big one by the looks of it.

He seemed to be heading away from it but was also getting closer to a large river. There were other buildings in the distance. Some of them looked to be really big buildings. It seemed everything was made from stone.

The river was lined on each side with green grasses and trees of some type. And the ground was coming up fast, really fast. Everything was a light beige color the further away you got from the river.

Bracken hit the ground, crumpled and yelled out in pain, a lot of pain. Bracken grabbed his leg and his hands were instantly wet. His leg also felt funny, there was something there that shouldn't be there.

Bracken looked down and saw his hands covered in blood, his blood. And the thing that shouldn't be there turned out to be the bone of his leg sticking out. The pain was terrible and he screamed out again.

He soon had a number of people dressed funny, all men. And he didn't understand a word they said.

But he soon found himself on a stretcher and in the back of someone's van.

When the van stopped they yanked him out which caused even more pain and then Bracken's world went black.

Bracken woke to find he was still lying down and there was a bottle hanging near him with a tube coming out of it. There was also what looked like a woman who was all black in color standing next to the guy lying next to him.

"Excuse me? Miss?" Bracken made it clear he was awake.

She turned to look at him then said something he didn't understand and then left.

Some guy came up next to him and started using the same language he didn't understand.

"What? I don't understand." Bracken tells him.

"Aghhh, American. We don't see many Americans these days. Some locals found you and brought you here. It would appear that you had a sky diving accident. You have a compound fracture of your left leg.

One of them said he saw you falling and that you opened your Chute way too late to land safely. You're lucky you only broke your leg. We set your leg and wrapped it up after cleaning your wound." He tells Bracken.

His English was heavily accented but Bracken got most of it. "Antibiotics and something for the pain?" Bracken asked.

"Those things are for people who can pay. Since you were found with no ID on you that means you can't pay. We will clean your wound and replace your bandages every couple of days and pray to Allah that he is merciful that your leg does not get infected. … If it does we will remove it." The doctor tells him.

"That is not acceptable. Do you know who I am?" Bracken was not used to being treated this way.

"Yes, you are an American with no name and no money. A nurse will be by to give you water." And he gets up and leaves.

"Hey wait!" Bracken watches him go over to the black colored lady and talk to her in a language he doesn't understand, and then they both walk off.

This was not going well, and were the hell was Coonan? And what the hell is an American?

Kate woke up in the morning to find Alexis serving her breakfast in bed. Not that she stayed long. Just long enough to say "enjoy" and then she was gone.

By lunch Kate was bored out of her mind. Trapped upstairs staring at the ceiling with everyone downstairs doing who knows what. "Hello." Kate wanted something to change.

Alexis came bounding up the stairs. "Bathroom?" Was her first guess.

"I'm bored and there is nothing up here." Kate hated to moan at her, she had been so nice to her so far.

"I can ask dad if we can move you to the back patio and eat outside." Alexis offered.

"Oh yes please." Anyplace but here.

Rick was soon back and had her downstairs sitting at the table in no time. Baggy sweats and all.

"I'll get you something to drink." And Rick went back inside.

Rick came back out with two glasses and a pain pill and sat down next to Kate.

"I'm sorry there isn't much for you to do. But if you over do things it'll take even longer." Rick tries to get her to see long term.

"I know." Kate is deflated. "It's just I'm not any good at doing nothing. I should be working, being useful. I can't even get out here without you carrying me." Kate was moaning again and she knew it.

"Oh I'm pretty sure you could get out here on your own if you wanted to. But if you open all my fine stitching on that leg, I'll never kiss you again." Rick threatens her though it doesn't carry into his voice.

Kate just grins. "But if you want something to do, I've got just the thing to drive you mad." And Rick leaves.

When he comes back he drops a box on the table in front of her.

"What's this?" Kate didn't see the problem.

"This is a 3D puzzle of the Empire State Building in downtown New York. I'll even take you to see it if you like when we make it back home.

You want a challenge, this should keep you busy." As Rick opens the box for her to see all the pieces.

**Ravensburger Empire State Building 3D Building Puzzle, 216 Pieces**

It looked like a mind puzzle, so Kate took it as a challenge.

A little later Rick dropped off lunch for her to eat and kissed her head then sat and watched her work.

Rick noticed that she was really concentrating. Kate had the box top propped up so she could see the ultimate look of the puzzle.

Kate was making real progress. Rick watched her start slowly then suddenly finished a large section, then slows down again. Rick was noticing that when she set her mind to doing something she gave it her all.

Kate was done before Rick had decided to start dinner. "You got another one?" Kate smiled at him.

Kate looked happy and her smile seemed to light up her face. Suddenly Rick couldn't help it; he leaned in and kissed her.

When he finally broke from the kiss he saw her face was now a lot softer then moments before and her smile was returning.

"I think I'm going to go start dinner and let you try another one tomorrow. Getting you outside seems to agree with you." Rick gets up and kisses the top of her head and goes inside.

Kate is left there grinning. "He kissed me and I didn't even ask him to."


	14. Chapter 14

**CH14**

Kate had enjoyed sitting outside eating dinner with Rick and Alexis.

After they were done eating they all just sat there and looked up at all the stars. And they talked about a number of things and nothing at all.

Kate was learning more about these two and they were learning a little more about her.

None of it was soul revealing or earth shattering stuff, but it gave insight into how each of them saw different things.

Rick and Alexis were learning that Kate's life seemed to be all about work. No close friends, no boyfriend or husband waiting for her back home. She found it hard not to be doing something, anything.

Even though stargazing was relaxing she didn't want to do it every night, she wanted something to do. Problem was, until at least her leg was healed enough to walk easily on, she was stuck doing very little. At least anything that required movement.

Kate was learning that Rick and Alexis were a lot more carefree than her. They would up and do spontaneous stupid stuff that Kate had never thought to do. However they also both had hearts of gold. Something she counted her lucky stars for.

Rick had carried her upstairs and Alexis had followed. Rick left her on the bed and went into the bathroom to get supplies to clean her wounds again and new bandages along with a pain pill to help her get to sleep.

"Good night Kate." Alexis had told her and then she had kissed her forehead, and went downstairs.

Kate was still trying to figure that out when Rick came back with his supplies.

He helped her remove her/his sweats and then cleaned up her leg and re-bandaged it. Then he cleaned her head wound but left it exposed.

Then Rick cocooned her up in the bed sheets and laid the comforter over part of her. Just as he started to leave, Kate grabbed him. "Rick?"

Rick took the hint and leaned down and kissed her. Kate had caressed his lips with her tongue asking for entrance. As soon as she got it she felt his hand reach in under the sheets and start caressing her breast.

Her good hand had made its way to behind his head and held it in place. When Kate finally broke from the kiss to get some air she pulled his head back down and kissed him again.

Ricks hand had switched to the other breast and soon he had both nipples as hard as he could get them.

Kate broke from the kiss again and let go of his head. What she wanted to do was take her good hand and take a hold of the hand on her breast and more it to where she wanted it to be now.

However Rick had removed it and was standing. "Good night Kate." And went into his room.

Kate's mind finally got around to where she could think straight enough to form a sentence to get him to stay, but he was gone by then.

Kate covered up and replayed it all in her mind. But her mind wouldn't shut down. It moved on to the dreams she had of him making love to her countless times before. This only kept her awake even longer and actually more uncomfortable than ever.

Kate had made up her mind. She worked at removing the sheet(s) and comforter. Not a simple task with just one good arm and swung her legs out of bed. Getting up on her own proved to be a little painful.

Then she hobbled herself into the bathroom using anything she could find to hold herself steady. Hopping on one leg wasn't easy.

Kate hopped through the bathroom and into Rick's room on the other side. Then hopped over to his bed and landed on it and him.

Rick wasn't asleep either. Kissing Kate the way he did had left him with a problem that his thoughts about Kate wasn't allowing for it to go away. He wasn't aware that Kate was in his room until she landed on him "Oooofff!"

With a tear running down her face. "Rick, please don't do that and then just walk away. PLEASE!?"

Rick took her in his arms and careful of her leg and arm rolled her over until he was above her and then kissed her.

Come morning Kate woke up and found she was using Rick as a pillow. As her mind woke up she started to remember what happened last night.

Rick had made love to her. It was the only way to describe what he did to her. He had covered every square inch of her with kisses from head to toe. Kate had grabbed a pillow to scream into on three separate occasions.

Thanks to her leg and arm Rick had been on top each time. Kate didn't want to relinquish that much control but what Rick was doing to her had made it easier for her to accept.

As Kate became more awake she was aware that she was sore, but it was a delightful kind or sore. Which brought a smile to her face.

The man in her dreams that made love to her had been good and she had been happy to retreat to him when she needed release. However what Rick had done to her last night had exceeded that greatly.

She knew she didn't love him, hell she wasn't even sure she could love anyone. But if she kept this up she was going to become addicted to having Rick make love to her.

Kate tried to snuggle in a little closer and go back to sleep.

Next time Kate woke up Rick was gone and she found herself alone and naked in his bed. However that didn't last long as she saw him come into the room from the bathroom carrying a towel, a bowl and a sponge.

Kate just smiled as Rick got to work giving her a sponge bath. Rick cleaned every nook and cranny he could find. And his fingers lingered in the just the right place to give Kate still another orgasm causing Kate to grab the pillow to cover her face and her scream.

Rick was all done and put his items down. "Better?"

Kate gave him her best smile she could come up with. "Oh yes, much." And she raised her arms offering him to come down to her.

Rick accepted the offer and Kate kissed him holding his head to her tightly.

After she broke from the kiss Rick kissed her back. "You should take me back to bed before Alexis gets up." Kate tells him.

Rick agrees at least until they can explain it to her.

As Rick stands to get ready to lift her up. "Wait, I can't let you remain like that." Kate tells him looking at his crotch area.

"I'll be fine." Rick assures her. It wouldn't be the first time.

"No it's not fine, come over here and let me take care of you." Kate tells him and grabs hold of him to enforce her point.

Soon a very satisfied Rick carries a very happy and satisfied Kate back to Alexis's bed. "I'll take you outside for breakfast as soon as it is ready." Rick tells her and kisses her deeply again. Then heads for the shower that Kate can't use just yet.

Rick had cocooned her into bed again before he left, leaving Kate to listen to her mind.

However Alexis came bounding up the stairs with the intent of using the shower. However with her dad in it she had to wait so she sat down to talk to Kate.

"Something you want to do today?" Alexis asks her.

"There are lots of things I'd like to do." Kate tells her. Like being on top of your father next time. "But with this leg. …."

"I'm sorry it's probably kind of boring for you. We can fix all that when you're leg is better." Alexis is certain. Kate is certain too.

"That would be nice. I'd like to see more of this place. Maybe see just how much space you own and what this house looks like from the outside. … You said something about greenhouses?" Kate tells her.

"There are two, we only just put them up just after we got here. Then after it stopped raining we went camping and that's when we found you inside a giant sea urchin." Alexis tells her.

Kate giggles. "My giant sea urchin. I was afraid I didn't have time to strap in when I launched the life pod. I may have been right, I may not have been. Either way if you and your father hadn't been there I would probably have died out there." Kate flicked her head in what she hoped was the right direction.

Before Alexis could respond Rick came out into the room already dressed. "Hi pumpkin. The shower is all yours. I'm going to take Kate out to the patio. You can meet us there for breakfast."

"Thanks dad." And Alexis goes in and closes the door.

"Let's get you dressed and downstairs." Rick tells her and helps her into his sweats.

Once down on the patio Rick had intended to give her a quick kiss. However Kate grabbed his head and held it for a much longer kiss. Smiling Rick went inside to fix breakfast.

Once done and cleaned up. "I'm going to check the greenhouses' and the garden dad."

Rick gets up and goes inside, however he is soon back. "You wanted a challenge." Rick tells her and drops another box on the patio table.

**Ravensburger The Earth - 540 Piece Puzzleball**

Features perfectly crafted, curved puzzle-pieces

Can be easily assembled together to form a solid, smooth ball

No glue required

Includes both a plastic base stand and metal rotation stand

540 piece set

"This one is of this planet so after you finish I can show you where you are and answer your 100 questions." Rick tells her. Then gets up and kisses the top of her head and goes inside.

Rick searched the refrigerator and went down to the basement to get things out of the freezer for later. Finding their entire stash of chocolate down here where Alexis was hiding it.

Rick then went outside to the fire pit passing Kate along the way. Rick stepped up behind her to see how she was doing. Finding that she was making progress.

Rick decided to mess with her concentration and kissed the top of her head then wrapped his arms around her.

Kate however ignored him intent on finishing her puzzle, so Rick upped the ante and cupped her breasts with both hands and started massaging them.

"Rick." Kate used a threatening voice. "You're not help-ing."

Rick stopped moving his hands but didn't remove them. Leaning down to one side he whispered into her ear. "Spoil sport." Then nibbled on her ear. Watching her drop a piece.

Happy with himself he went down to the fire pit to get it ready for later.

Kate watched him go just a little mad at him. He had ruined her concentration. Still he had demonstrated last night, this morning and especially just now that he wanted her just as much as she wanted him.

Kate was forced to shake her head. She had to travel to another planet to find someone who just so happened to be her dream lover, who could match her appetite. Just as soon as her leg and arm were healed she was going to show him just what she could do.

Now with a smile plastered on her face she got back to work on her puzzle. She had questions that she wanted answers to.

"Whatcha doin dad?" Alexis asks down on her knees in the garden.

"Getting ready for homemade chili later." Rick tells her.

"YES!" And Alexis pumps her fist. She loved her dad's chili. Homemade out on an open fire only made it taste better.

Alexis went back to work humming while she did.

Kate was still working away when lunch came and Rick put it down on the table for her. Kate would occasionally eat some of it but never took her mind off the puzzle.

Rick sat there quietly watching the wheels in her mind turn. He noted that when she put her mind to something nothing got in her way.

Alexis had joined them after cleaning up from working in the garden. "Kate has gotten pretty far dad." Alexis noticed when she got to the table. "I thought it would take us days to finish even one of them. …. How many of those do we have left?" Kate was going to get bored again when they ran out.

"Just two. The Castle one and the Millennium Falcon one. After this we may have to switch to board games. Better get ready for a beating pumpkin. I don't think Kate takes prisoners." Getting Alexis to giggle.

Kate looked pretty serious about what she was doing to her. If she played games with equal intensity her and her dad were in big trouble.

Rick disappeared to put the chili on the campfire while Alexis watched Kate.

Just before the chili was ready Kate had finished her 3D puzzle of the planet Earth.

Alexis got up and showed her where they were now, since Rick was down by the fire pit. "We are in the State of New York just south of the border with Canada." Alexis tells her pointing.

"Canada?" Kate didn't understand.

"This is all part of the United States of America. This is all Canada to the north of us. Except for this little area here called Alaska."

"Why are all the areas a slightly different color?" Kate singles out a number of places.

"Each one is a different country. This is France, Germany, Italy. Pretty much everything in this area here is part of what is called Europe." Alexis explains.

"Each one of these little areas is an independent country?" Kate points out a number of others.

"Yup, each can have its own language, its own government, its own military and their own laws." Alexis tells her.

"You're kidding me! …. Seriously?" Kate is shocked. Getting a nod from Alexis. "How do you manage to get anything done?"

"A number of them are friends with each other and can work to achieve the same goal, just using different means. …. But there are some that don't like that same group and they argue with everyone else." Alexis tries to explain.

"Argue, as in fight?" Kate wonders just how screwed up this planet is.

"Sometimes. There have been two world wars were groups of counties fought other groups. And there have been little wars that don't involve too many countries." Alexis is sad about that part.

"You fight and kill each other?" Kate is shocked.

"Yup, some are fought for territory, some are fought because of religion and some are fought for items like oil." Alexis explains simply since that is how she understands it. "Do you not have any of this?"

"Tellus is broken up into areas. There are five total. Each is separate but each has a number of representatives in the planet council. Except for the Rags each works to help their people and the planet as a whole.

Its how we could build the ship that got me here and others like it." Kate explains. "Plus we don't have these large areas of water. Most of ours are large or small lakes that are usually not connected. Except for the canals we dug out to connect some of them.

Though there is one very large area that is all dessert." Kate tells her.

Rick interrupts them. "Time to eat." As Rick puts the pot on the table and goes inside to get bowls, spoons, chopped onions and some cheese. While Alexis brings out a pitcher of Kool-aid for everyone.


	15. Chapter 15

**CH15**

Kate gave up on her planet questions in favor of food. "Smells good." Kate looks at it never having seen chili before.

Rick and Alexis had quickly finished their first bowl and were helping themselves to seconds.

Kate however was still nursing her first bowl. She had taken her first bite and found it was hot so started blowing on it to cool it off. Several spoon fulls in she was still blowing. Not that it was doing any good.

Kate's eyes were watering and her nose was running and she was just pouring her third glass of Kool-aid.

"You doing ok over there Kate?" Rick asks grinning.

Kate looks up and sniffles. She can see, barely, that their faces are telling her something she doesn't know.

"Fine, just fine." Kate drinks some more to try and kill the fire in her mouth.

Call the EPA. I've located a uranium spill. My nose feels like I have been snorting Drano!

Kate keeps eating and blowing on each and every spoonful and dousing it with Kool-aid.

You could put a grenade in my mouth, pull the pin, and I wouldn't feel a thing. I've lost sight in one eye, and the world sounds like it is made of rushing water. My shirt is covered with chili, which slid unnoticed out of my mouth. My pants are full of lava to match my shirt. At least during the autopsy, they'll know what killed me. I've decided to stop breathing; it's too painful. Screw it; I'm not getting any oxygen anyway. If I need air, I'll just suck it in through the 4-inch hole in my stomach.

Kate finished her one bowl of chili and she looked like she had been through a war zone.

"You're sure you're ok over there?" Rick asked again.

Kate nods her head drinking down her entire glass of Kool-aid. Putting it down empty, she wipes her runny nose.

"You want some more? We've got plenty." Rick rubs it in for all it's worth.

Kate just shakes her head while pouring out another glass.

Alexis is doing all she can not to end up on the floor laughing her ass off. "I'll clean up dad." Alexis barely gets out.

Both Rick and Kate can hear her laughing once she gets inside. Alexis had barely gotten the bowls in the sink before she gave in and started laughing until the tears came.

Rick was doing his best to sit there and not make a face, but it wasn't easy.

Alexis had recovered and had started back outside but as soon as she saw Kate she scrambled back inside for round two.

When Alexis had recovered she came back outside with a roll of paper towels and a wet wash cloth then handed them to Kate.

Kate took them and cleaned up her mess then drank some more Kool-aid.

"Movie anyone?" Rick offered.

If it meant getting away from the chili Kate was all for it. Rick picked up Kate and carried her to the sofa and then went back outside to get the left over chili so he could put it in Tupperware for later.

Rick made it to the table before he broke down and started laughing. Alexis had selected a movie by the time Rick made it back inside. Then he filled up the popcorn maker.

With two bowls of popcorn in hand he sat on the sofa next to Kate and Alexis took the loveseat.

Since Alexis had ended up choosing she picked one her and her dad hadn't seen yet.

**Mr. Peabody & Sherman**

Rocky and Bullwinkle Show time-travelers Mr. Peabody and his adopted human sidekick, Sherman (voiced by Ty Burrell and Max Charles, respectively), strike out on their own for a big-screen CGI adventure in this feature directed by Rob Minkoff (The Haunted Mansion). Stephen Colbert and Allison Janney also contribute to the voice cast.

About half way through the movie Rick paused it and served up some Peppermint ice cream. "It's homemade using sugar Peppermint sticks that have been dissolved in milk first. It's good, try it. …. It's COLD." Rick offers.

Kate glares at him but takes the bowl offered and has it emptied in no time.

With the movie over Alexis hugs Kate. "Good night Kate."

Kate is still not sure where all this is coming from but hugs her back. "Good night Alexis."

Rick offers to carry her up the stairs but Kate wants to get up there without being carried this time.

Rick was all set to help her into Alexis's bed. "Hhmm, wrong bed." Kate tells him shaking her head. So Rick helps her to his bed by going through the bathroom.

Once there Rick helps get undressed and in under the covers. "I'll change your bandage and give you another anti-biotic shot in the morning." And Rick strips and gets in under the covers with her.

They are both lying on their backs staring up at the ceiling. "That was mean Rick." Kate tells him.

"I don't know what you are talking about." Rick faints innocence.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about. I still don't know why my face didn't just melt off." Kate tells him.

"Alexis and I like our chili a little on the warm side." Rick teases her.

"WARM? That stuff could melt a ship's battle plate armor." Kate is not amused.

Rick turns on his side to face her and starts walking his hand up her exposed arm. "I don't suppose I could make it up to you?" As his hand gets a little higher.

"Absolutely not!" Her face may not have melted off but she was sure her stomach was.

Rick's hand has made to walking across her breast closest to him. "Are you sure?" As he gives her nipple a quick squeeze.

Kate grins because she can't help it or resist him. "Well, …. Maybe." As she looks his way and twists in bed just a little. 'Stupid arm and leg'!

Kate spent the next hour screaming and moaning into her pillow so Alexis wouldn't hear her.

Kate woke up first and found she was using Rick for a pillow again. Kate sighed heavily, she could get used to this. Rick had made it up to her last night. More than made it up to her.

What Kate wanted to do was melt into him and disappear. She didn't need to dream about making love to him anymore, he was right here in the naked flesh. Then she noticed something else. THE SHOWER WAS RUNNING!

That meant Alexis was up already and there were only two ways into the bathroom. Through this bedroom and the other bedroom that she had been sleeping in up until the last two nights.

That meant Alexis would have seen her missing and since the door to the bathroom was closed now instead of open. Alexis would have closed it, and seen both of them lying in bed without a stitch of clothing on.

"RICK!" Kate shoves him. "Rick!" Kate more than shoves him.

Still sleepy. "I'm awake mom, I'm awake. Plenty of time to make the bus." Rick mumbles out.

Kate didn't know what that meant but it wasn't what she wanted to hear so she shoved him again.

Rick finally opened his eyes and rolled over a little. "Hi." Rick looks at her smiling.

"Rick, Alexis is in the shower." Hoping he is awake enough to understand.

"That's nice she can go first." Rick didn't care if she went first.

Kate just glares at him. 'Really Rick?'

Rick bolts upright. "Alexis, shower, door closed, no clothes." Rick rubs his hand down his face.

Rick looks down on a naked Kate who is laughing. "What are you laughing about?"

"I suffered last night and you get to suffer this morning." And Kate goes back to laughing.

Rick failed to see the humor in all this. Kate however sits up and shoves Rick back down onto the bed. "Since she is in the shower." And Kate does her best to roll over on top of him, wincing from the pain.

Now straddling him in just the right spot Kate leans down and kisses him deeply.

Finally getting a response out of Rick she lifts up and then back down totally satisfied.

Kate was enjoying herself and then the shower turned off. 'Damn it just one more minute! Kate was soooo close.'

Kate rolled over off Rick. "Get up and get dressed, you need to talk to your daughter. We probably both do. ….. I need some clothes." Kate was getting tired of sweats. And if it got warm outside she was going to bake.

After Alexis was done and changed when Rick entered the bathroom with the intent of taking a shower. Kate was right behind him. "Wash my hair for me? Please?" Kate figured she looked terrible. And Alexis was probably too young to be using make-up.

Since the shower had a hand held shower head Rick was able to do as she requested for her, and keep her leg bandage from getting wet. The bandage she used to have on her head had been already long since removed.

Rick was the first downstairs and finds Alexis in the kitchen working on cooking eggs and toast.

"Hi pumpkin." Rick really had no idea how to begin this conversation.

"Hi dad." Alexis went back to cooking.

"Pumpkin about Kate." Rick started timid.

"She was in your room. I noticed." Alexis still had her back to him.

"Yea about that." Rick was still fumbling the ball.

Alexis put her eggs on the plate along with her toast then moved around to sit at the counter. "Dad I've already seen you two kissing. I'm old enough to guess what else is going on, but I'd just as soon not see it. …. But I have a question dad. …. Does she make you happy?"

"It's all pretty new pumpkin. I'm not sure just how my heart feels about this. For the moment at least, …. Yes she makes me happy." Rick tells her, not really sure himself though.

"That's all I need to know dad. Because if she hurts you, I'll never forgive her." Alexis makes it plain.

"I think you can have your room back pumpkin if you want it." Rick tells her. He's in deep so he might as well go a little deeper.

"Does Kate know this?" Alexis wasn't moving back into her room if Kate didn't go for this.

"I'll talk to her and let you know." Rick tells her since he was jumping the gun a little.

"A little help getting down." Kate called down. Getting Rick back upstairs to help her down.

Rick helped her to the kitchen counter so she could eat breakfast. Then Rick got out her next antibiotic shot. "Bandages." And Rick jogged upstairs.

"Alexis?" Kate starts.

"It's ok Kate, I remember what you told me about dad. Just don't hurt him." Alexis tells her.

"It is complicated for me Alexis, but I promised and I'm going to keep it." Kate tells her. Kate still didn't know how she felt about Rick, she just knew she couldn't stay away from him.

"Are we good?" Kate asks her.

"Yea we're good Kate."Alexis is done with breakfast. "I'll be outside if you or dad want me." And Alexis leaves giving Kate a quick kiss on the cheek.

Rick comes back with bandages and cleaning stuff. "Let's get you on the sofa so you can lie down and I can look at your leg.

What did Alexis say?" Rick saw them talking on the way down the stairs.

"She's a good kid Rick. You've done well with her." Kate tells him.

"I'm not so sure I've done anything. She seems to go out of her way to do the right thing. Sometimes I wonder where she gets it." Rick chuckles.

"She's protective of you. I think she loves you a lot." Kate tells him.

"There all done." Rick was done cleaning it and wrapping it up again. "I think you could start light short walks in a couple of days. It's healing nicely. Just be careful of those ribs. You crack one and we'll be in trouble.

Want to go outside?" Rick asks her.

"Yes please." Kate wanted out. She had been locked up on a ship for a while. It felt good to have and see a lot of open space.

"Kate there is something we need to decide. …. You've spent the last two nights in my room with me. Is this what you want?" Rick was going to make the choice for her.

"Is this what YOU want? Do you want me there?" Kate wasn't going to push about where she slept. She just wanted control when they made love.

"I will assume since you kept asking me to kiss you that you want to get closer. And I do enjoy your company and making love to you. Do you want to keep sleeping separate?" Why couldn't he just say please move in with me into my bed?

"Rick I guess I have pushed myself onto you without thinking about what you want. If you don't want me in your bed each night, I guess, …." Kate is interrupted by Rick.

Since Rick got up and kissed her not bothering to ask if his tongue could enter. When he broke the kiss for air he simply kissed her again.

When he broke the kiss for still more air Rick switched to soft light kisses and then added nothing but tongue.

Kate was enjoying all of it and if they kept this up they were going to have to go back inside.

When Rick broke from kissing her again Kate had made up her mind. "Rick, let me stay with you. I want you. I need you to make love to me. Please tell me what you want?" Kate was in like she ever had a choice.

"I want you in my arms and in my bed so I can make love to you. I want to find out where this will take us. Take all of us." Rick tells her.

Kate couldn't help but smile at him. "Then kiss me and take me to bed tonight. I want you."


	16. Chapter 16

**CH16**

Rick went inside to get them something to drink and Kate felt better. They had made it past the hard part. Kate wanted him, needed him really. She couldn't explain it.

Kate had always been in control of her life. Her dreams were where she could let go and not get hurt. Now here was the man in her dreams in the flesh. And she craved him. Kate was going to make love to him as much as she could and hope that he could keep up with her.

She wasn't losing him now. Her dreams had turned into reality and she was going to do whatever it took to keep it that way.

But what about when fall came and they were ready to leave? Where would she go then? What would she do? She had no name here, no history. A ships chief security officer appeared to be out of the question.

Maybe Rick had an answer, but not yet. Not just yet.

Rick had left her sitting there. He told her he was going to go check the outhouses.

Kate was alone with her thoughts.

Alexis had suddenly turned super nice to her. Hugging and quick kisses. Kate didn't understand any of it. She hadn't spent much time around children. Just when she was a teenager and had done a couple of babysitting jobs.

Just long enough to figure out her and children didn't mix well. Kate didn't hate children she just didn't understand them. She preferred adults. People who knew who they were and what they wanted in life and what it took to get it.

Rick walked past her and into the house. He was soon back out to the table and kissed her soundly before sitting down to join her.

"Couple of days and we can get you on short walks and get you more active." Rick tells her. "Is there something you want to do? Movie maybe? Do some reading?"

"Alexis said you write, can you show me what you write?" Kate is curious.

"Of course." And Rick comes back out with a book. "This is the first of several Derek Storm based novels. Each had made it to the best seller list. You can start with this one and move on to the others later." Rick offers.

Kate holds it in her hand looking it over. She was used to tablets to read from. This was old school.

Kate read the jacket cover first to find out what it was about. Then she found a dedication page a few pages in. Then started reading.

Kate never saw Alexis come back and sit at the table and eat lunch with her dad.

Kate also didn't see the lunch that had been put down in front of her, or the drink.

Kate also didn't see that they both sat with her throughout the day while she was reading.

Kate's mind was lost in the book she was reading. She turned the pages on auto pilot never actually knowing that she was doing it.

Alexis was smiling most of the time. She could see the look on Kate's face change constantly. Since Alexis had read the one she was reading now, she could guess where in the book Kate was based on how many pages in she was.

It finally became time for Rick to start dinner. Alexis was inside helping him. "Shouldn't we stop her so she can eat and drink? I mean she hasn't moved since she started dad." Alexis was beginning to worry about her.

"Well last time I looked she only has a few more chapters to go. Granted she is no speed reader like you and me, but she seems to be doing pretty well.

Maybe we should delay dinner a little. Maybe if we time it right dinner will be ready just as she finishes." Rick offers.

"OK dad, but if she does this with every book we have in the house we'll never see her again." Alexis warns him.

Rick just chuckles. Kate would be on her feet in a few days and he figured that she would be out exploring instead of sitting somewhere reading.

And once she built her strength back up they could go on a camping trip. They would have to hike it instead of ride it so it would have to be closer than the lake was, but it would get Kate out and see the area.

Rick had come pretty close to when she would be finished reading.

Kate read the last page and closed the book and stared out into space. Ok, the valley actually, but you get the idea.

She now had some insight on how Rick thought and it helped her understand him a bit better.

When she put the book down on the table she found dinner on a plate sitting in front of her. Looking around she saw Rick and Alexis also at the table slowly eating. It looked like they had just started.

"What did you think?" Alexis was dying to know.

"It was good, I liked it. Are all the others like this?" Kate really was interested in reading them.

"The idea is the same, just the circumstances of what happens and how the characters react is changed." Rick explains.

Kate ate her dinner in silence while occasionally looking over at Rick. Just who was he and how did he get to her so fast. Ok, the fact that he was her lover in her dreams has something to do with it, but still. ….

Rick cleaned up the table after they were done. "You want to try playing a board game?" Alexis asks. Alexis wanted to spend some family time together. Not noticing that Kate had just been added to part of the word FAMILY.

"Sure, whichever one you want." Kate would try it. So Alexis left to retrieve a game.

Rick came back out with two glasses of wine and put one in front of Kate. "What happened to Alexis?"

"She wanted to play a game and I said yes, so I guess she is looking for one." Kate told him shrugging her shoulders.

That Kate was willing to play with Alexis made him happy so he leaned down and kissed her. Kate immediately kissed him back.

Alexis eventually came back with 'Monopoly 3D New York Edition'

2" deep dark hardwood cabinet with tempered glass top

3-Dimensional artwork adorned with over 170 inlaid crystals and foil accents

Six custom-designed New York City-themed pewter MONOPOLY® Tokens

Custom-designed Money and Title Deed, Chance, and Community Chest Cards

Custom-designed Wood houses and Hotels

Wood Banker's Tray

Only 2,000 copies of this limited edition, each set is hand signed and numbered by the artist

Kate took the car (NY taxi cab), Rick took the apple (big apple) and Alexis took the boat (ferry boat)

They gave Kate a few minutes to read the rules and offered to help her understand along the way if she had questions.

Rick had been proven correct, Kate played for blood and she played with enthusiasm. When she landed on your property she pouted, and when someone landed on hers she was happy and clapped her hands and demanded her money. And when she was trying to figure something out she would grab the rule book again and scan it to find the answer.

Kate bought everything she landed on without leaving a single penny in cash reserves. Kate played for broke and risked everything.

Rick was the first to go. Between Alexis, Kate and his dice rolls he was doomed. That just left Alexis and Kate.

"Ha, Hell's Kitchen. That one is mine with one house. Pay up!" Kate glared at Alexis. "Ha, East Side. And I own three of the four. Pay up." Alexis glares back. "Chance." Alexis draws a card.

"Ha, give me my 50 smackers." Alexis puts the card down. Kate hands over the money, grumbling about it being a stupid card. Kate rolls the dice.

"INCOME TAX!? Again!?" Kate pays the bank as it almost breaks her. Alexis rolls the dice.

"Ha! 5th Avenue with one hotel. Pay up dead beat." Kate glares at her. Alexis counts up her money. She didn't have enough. Like Kate she had been spending it with reckless abandon.

"Ha I win, I win." Kate dances in her chair since she's not sure she should stand to do a victory dance. Alexis knew she could sell some things but it would just delay the inevitable. Rick gets up to help clean off the board and put the parts away.

"Don't worry pumpkin, you'll mop the floor with her in scrabble." Rick had confidence in her. Alexis kissed her dad goodnight then hugged and kissed Kate and went upstairs to her room.

"I didn't upset her did I? I didn't mean to get carried away in winning the game. I just get competitive." Kate didn't want to hurt Alexis and get between her and Rick.

"No, she knows it's just a game. I know she plays with friends but I don't know if they play with your type of enthusiasm. I'm sure she's fine." Rick is pretty sure. Kate got a hug and a kiss before bed, not knowing when that started.

"Rick does anyone else every come out here?" Kate was wondering about something.

"There are very few people who even know this place exists. There are a few people in town, the construction company that built the house. The company that put up the windmills and the solar panels. The company that put in the water pipe and drilled the well. … Oh they also built the cistern for the garden. And the moving van people who brought out all the furniture and appliances. That's about it. … Oh and the guy who drives out here once a year to fill the propane tanks." Rick tells her. "Why?"

"Oh just wondering." Kate lied. Kate wanted to drag Rick to someplace where she didn't have to scream into a pillow so Alexis wouldn't hear her. She wanted her leg, arm and ribs to be healed so she could let go while making love to Rick. Rick however knew it wasn't nothing at the rate Kate was blushing. It was something alright. Maybe someday he would find out what?

Kate was ready for bed too and asked Rick to help her up the stairs. There was still pain but it wasn't bad. Thanks to her arm still being in an air cast she needed help getting undressed. Kate didn't like this part but having Rick being the one to help her made it better.

Kate was in bed waiting for Rick to exit the bathroom. When he did she raised her arms inviting him down to her.

Once Rick was down in bed and in her arms she started kissing him to get him warmed up. Kate wanted him so she was going to start making love to him and was pleasantly surprised when he kept up with her easily.

Kate still didn't like the fact she had to scream and moan into a pillow but the alternative just wasn't acceptable.

Kate woke in the morning happy. Kate was wrapped up in Ricks arms. She knew she had made love to him last night and got to do a number of things that she had wanted to do since they started. And she didn't feel sore anymore. She was adapting to his size and it felt great.

Maybe she would get another sponge bath this morning and maybe get a quick repeat of last night.

Rick woke up to find Kate trying to get a rise out of him, however before his mind turned to jelly he had a topic that he didn't think could be put off anymore, so he stopped her.

Kate gave him a pout face to show her displeasure at his stopping her.

"Kate I wasn't expecting you or anyone else for that matter staying with us. I didn't bring any protection." Rick tells her.

"Protection? You're sick?" Kate was instantly worried. He is bringing this up now?

"No nothing like that, I'm clean. I mean nothing to prevent an unwanted pregnancy." Rick clarifies hoping she was clean too.

"Oh that." Kate suddenly relaxes. "I have a stem implanted just under the skin. It releases slowly over a period of six months. It was just inserted by the ship's doctor just days before, ….. well before, ….." Everyone she knew on board was killed by Bracken.

"I had to undergo a complete physical to get it. It's not 100% protection but I'm willing to risk it." Kate tells him and crawls up so her face is just above his.

"I'll risk it Rick. I want you." Kate whispers into his lips.

Rick's response is to take her in his arms and roll her over and make love to her.

Rick then gave her a sponge bath making sure his fingers were put to good use forcing Kate to scream into her pillow yet again.

Then Rick cleaned her leg wound and changed her bandage. Then helped her down to the kitchen counter while he went and took a shower.

Alexis meet Rick on the way down after using the shower. "Hi Kate." Giving her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "Breakfast?"

"Yes please, anything." Kate didn't know what she could cook.

Alexis pulled out another Pillsbury Cinnamon bun and put them in the oven. They were ready before Rick came downstairs.

Kate inhaled deeply. "Hhhmmmm, they smell good. Are these the same ones as last time?"

"Yup I eat anything with cinnamon in it." Alexis tells her and pries one out and puts it on a plate in front of Kate.

"And I eat anything with chocolate in it. A girl has to have her vices, right?" Kate grins at her with her mouth full.

"Right." Alexis grins back having talked with her mouth full.

"Milk chocolate or dark chocolate?" Alexis asks.

"Yes." Kate responds getting them both to laugh.


	17. Chapter 17

**CH17**

Rick descended the stairs slowly, watching the interaction between Kate and his daughter. They were laughing and talking to each other. It made him happy that they were getting along so well.

"So are there any left for me?" Rick asks stepping up.

"One of two dad." Alexis tells him grinning since her and Kate had been eating them quickly.

Rick ate what was left and washed them down with the last of the orange juice.

"Any plans ladies?" Rick didn't have any plans, except maybe writing.

"Nope."

"Nope"

"A day filled with nothing. I think I know just the spot to do nothing." Rick tells them. "Come on pumpkin, help me move a few things."

Alexis didn't know what he had in mind but followed him outside.

It was a little while later when Rick came back inside to get Kate and help her outside. But Rick didn't stop at the patio and Kate noticed that the table was missing.

A little further out into the valley floor sat the table with three of the four chairs. With the umbrella up. Next to the table a few feet away was a large blanket lying on the ground with 2 sleeping bags zipped open lying out on it.

Rick got her into one of the chairs. "Wait here." And he went with Alexis back into the house.

Together they came out with a pitcher of more Kool-aid and glasses along with some crackers and cheese.

Then they sat at the table drinking and eating. Being quiet or talking a little about nothing. It was quiet and peaceful and it was proving to be a warm day.

Kate was starting to bake in the sweats that she was wearing.

Rick went inside and came out with one of his t-shirts, boxers and a pair of tube socks. "We'll go get lunch while you change. There is no one out here but us, trust me." Rick tells her in case she was shy about changing way out here in the open.

Kate was changed by the time Rick and Alexis came out with lunch.

Rick's t-shirt was too big for her and almost covered the boxers she was wearing. The tube socks came up above her calves.

After lunch. "Put a couple of kites in the air?" Rick asked looking at Alexis. Getting a nod in return they were off back to the carport where they were stored.

Kate watched them put the kites in the air and staked the reels into the ground.

Then they moved to the sleeping bags and laid there looking up into the sky watching the kites fly in the wind.

Rick and Kate stole an occasional kiss from time to time while lying there doing nothing. Just mesmerized watching the kites fly in the blue sky. Something Kate hadn't done in a very long time.

It gave Kate time to reflect on what her life was like when she was young and how it had changed and was changing yet again. She could turn her head and look at Rick staring up into the sky, and wonder.

Then turn her head and see Alexis doing the same.

They had saved her from dying all alone and let her into their home. Into their lives.

Kate still didn't really understand why she felt so drawn to Rick. She understood some of it but there was more to it than that. It was hard to get a grasp on. She could almost feel him without actually touching him. She could feel the peace and happiness that was coming off of him.

Then suddenly there was something else. Kate saw him turn his head and smile at her then leaned in a little and stole yet another kiss. Then he went back to staring at the sky.

Kate could almost feel what it was, almost touch it. Then lost it, but Rick was still there. Kate could see him and almost literally feel him even though they weren't touching.

It warmed her and made her calm so she turned to staring up at the kites in the sky like the other two beside her.

ALMOST ONE WEEK LATER:

Kate woke up in Rick's arms yet again just like the last few days. Today was going to be a big day for her.

Her wounds were clean enough that she could take a shower. She was walking up and down the stairs on her own now. She was forced to go slow but it helped her feel free.

Plus today they were going into town probably for the day so she could go shopping and get clothes that would fit her. Kate had been forced to be wearing Rick's t-shirts and boxers with his tube socks.

In some ways she liked it. Even when he wasn't around she could smell him on the clothes that she wore.

After showering and putting on Rick's clothes she was downstairs joining the others for breakfast.

"You two ready to hit the road?" Rick asks them.

Kate had been ready for days. Even Alexis was ready for the some reason. Alexis wanted to see what Kate would look like in clothes meant for her.

After locking up the house they grabbed all the gasoline cans they had so they could fill them. They had also been making a list of things to get.

Kate was sitting up front so she could see the area as they approached and went by it. It was all woods, a big departure from her home, but still it was nice.

"Uh oh." Rick points ahead.

"Dad?" Alexis moves forward to see. It was a downed tree across their path. "You know the drill pumpkin."

"Got it dad." And Alexis hops out of the car and grabs the line off of the wench. Kate also gets out so she can see what they are doing.

Alexis and Kate have made it to the tree before Rick had showed up with the chainsaw. "DAD!"

Rick shows up with the chainsaw. "Problem pumpkin?" Seeing Alexis just point ahead.

Just beyond them was another downed tree. Rick gives a heavy sigh. "Sandy I'm betting."

"Sandy?" Kate asks who or what is a Sandy.

"Just after we got here a hurricane came up the Eastern seaboard and probably did damage along the coast. This far in we got rain and wind. The rain probably softened the ground and the wind caused them to blow over." Rick explains.

"It rained a lot for days. We just don't know how big it was." Alexis adds.

Kate watched them cut the tree into sections and use the wench and cable to move the sections out of the way.

Back in the car the drove for a little while before they came across another downed tree.

Kate helped Alexis this time having seen her do it twice now.

Back in the Range Rover they headed up the trail. However Rick came to a sudden stop.

Alexis hoped out expecting another downed tree.

Kate saw a problem but didn't understand the issues.

Rick got out and joined Alexis as they stood there looking. Kate joined them. "What are we looking at?" Kate asks them.

"There is supposed to be a bridge here over our little stream." Rick tells her. Alexis however was speechless.

"Stream?" Kate asks, since what she sees is a river. "I thought a stream was small, this isn't small."

"It was. It wasn't even 20 feet across." Rick responds since Alexis is still speechless.

"This isn't 20 feet." Kate points out. "This is closer to 50 feet or more."

"Sandy." Rick guesses.

"What'll we do dad?" Alexis was ready to cry.

"Can we go around?" Kate asks not knowing the territory. Watching Alexis shake her head.

"The stream we get out water from is one of three streams that feeds into this and travels downhill for miles until it empties into a large lake.

There is no place else for the Range Rover to get to. To get out we would need to go around the small lake you crashed at. To get around it we would need to use the quads. We had to cut down trees to get the trail we are using to get this far." Rick tells her.

"Can we cross it dad?" Alexis prays. After all they had a brand new Range Rover.

The river edge had a steep look to it. Probably because the water had cut it. "I don't know how deep the water is now. But we need a better bank on both sides.

You two go downstream and I'll go upstream. Meet back here in an hour." Rick offers.

Rick headed upstream looking at both banks and looking at how the Range Rover would get here from the trail it was on now.

Kate and Alexis headed downstream. "Less steep banks on both sides and how does the car get here?" Kate wonders out loud.

"If the water is too deep we'll end up floating down the river and watch the car sink." Alexis adds.

"It would take us hours to walk back. How far is it to town from here?" Kate asks.

"Even longer." Alexis is forced to tell her not liking the mess they are in.

"This side looks better, how about those rocks on the other side?" Kate asks her.

"The tires will be wet and slippery. If it wasn't on a river bank I think it could be done. Dad would know better." Alexis looks at it. They decide to move on.

A little over an hour later they are back at the SUV.

"Anything?" Rick asks them not seeing anything his way.

"There was one spot but there were rocks." Kate tells him.

"Let's see it." Rick asks hoping it will work.

Rick finally sees it. "This side looks like it might be doable. The other side?" Rick cringed.

"Go get the rope pumpkin and let's see how deep the water is here." Rick asks. And Alexis is off at a run.

"When she gets back I want you to use this tree here to wrap the rope around and hang onto it while I wade out into the river. You are going to use the tree as a brake. If I get swept away and don't use the tree the rope would rip through your hands." Rick tells her.

Kate holds out her hands and shudders. The thought of having her hands ripped open while she watched Rick swept away and possibly drown suddenly made her shudder.

Rick tied himself off using the rope and had the girls wrap the rope around a tree once. He considered doing it twice but worried that would be too much.

"Grab hold of the rope and pull, almost constantly." Rick tells them and walks down to the edge.

Taking a deep breath Rick while holding onto the rope slowly makes his way out into the river.

"Not too deep so far." Rick calls back, while the girls give him some rope while trying to keep it taught.

Rick was doing pretty good but it was getting deeper as he got closer to the middle. When suddenly he disappeared under the water and almost ripped the rope out of Kate and Alexis's hands.

"DAD!"

"RICK!"

Kate could see the rope suddenly head downstream. "Pull Alexis." Kate yells out. "Just pull pumpkin!"

Neither Kate or Alexis notice that Kate had used Rick's term of endearment for her.

Kate could see that the line leading to the river was taught which told her Rick was still attached to it. And she could feel Alexis pulling behind her and could soon hear her as she grunted.

Kate was worried he was drowning and the rope was tight because of his dead weight.

When suddenly Rick broke the surface further down the river coughing and spitting with his hands hanging onto the rope.

While Kate and Alexis pulled, Rick did his best to make it to the river bank so he could get out.

Rick failed the first three times falling down into the river before he finally was standing in a more shallow space. Pulling on the rope leaving the rope loose behind him he was finally standing at the bank looking it over.

It took Rick a couple of tries to get up the steep river bank, losing his footing and crashing into the water.

Once up the bank he crawled his way to the tree they were using as an anchor. Rick was on his knees muddy and soaked to the bone when he suddenly had Kate and Alexis wrap their arms around his wet and muddy body.

"DAD!" Alexis cries into him, scared they had almost lost him.

Kate just held him and silently cried. She had almost lost him just so he could buy her some clothes.

Rick was shaking because he was freezing. The water was cold and wearing wet cold clothes wasn't helping.

It took a few minutes before they all calmed down a little. Kate had switched to rubbing him to try and warm him up. "We need to get you out of these clothes." Kate tells him. Getting a shaking nod from Rick.

Kate helps him stand and guide him over to the car. "You go get the rope pumpkin and I'll help your dad change clothes."

This time Alexis did hear it and she hugged and kissed Kate and ran for the rope.

Rick had heard it too and stood there shivering with a big grin on his face. While Kate dove into the Range Rover looking for Ricks clothes. They had planned on spending the night in the city at a hotel so they all had a change of clothes.

Kate took Rick's clothes off and used her change of clothes to dry him and then helped him into his clean dry clothes.

Kate had just finished. "How do you feel dad?" Alexis asks after dropping the rope in the back of the Range Rover.

Rick held out his arms and waited for Alexis to be in his arms. "I'm fine pumpkin. Still a little cold is all." It is only now that Alexis brakes down and starts crying. She had almost lost her father.

Kate joined them and held both of them in her arms. "We should get back to the house and get you cleaned up and made warm."

Kate got Rick behind the wheel while Kaye sat in the back with Alexis where she could hold onto her. "Shhhh, your dad is fine." Kate could feel Alexis shaking.

Kate helped Rick upstairs and stripped him down and put him in the shower with hot water running. While Kate and Alexis changed clothes. Holding Rick in their arms had made a mess of them too.

When Rick was done with his shower and stepped out he found Kate waiting for him with a towel.

Kate dried him and then held him in her arms shaking. "Thanks for saving me." Rick tells her.

Kate holds him close. "I can't lose you. I don't know why and I can't explain it, but I just can't.

You've been in my dreams before I even crashed here. I need you and I'm not going to lose you. Certainly not to some stupid river."


	18. Chapter 18

**CH18**

Rick's response to all of this was to kiss her. He would ask her about being in her dreams later. He had a daughter that was scared to take care of first.

Downstairs he found Alexis sitting on the sofa just a little too quiet. "Walk with me pumpkin." And Rick helps her up.

Rick with Alexis in his arm started for the back door. "Come with us Kate." Rick turns and looks at her.

"Rick, I don't think, …." This was father daughter time.

"Kate you are fast becoming a member of this family, so come with us." Rick tells her.

Kate hesitates. Family!? She was scared when Rick disappeared under the water. Losing him just wasn't an option, but family?

Rick held out his hand to her. And Kate could see come with us in Alexis's eyes.

Kate didn't think this was a good idea. Family meant something. Wanting and needing Rick was one thing but this was something else. She doesn't have a family.

Alexis however let go of her dad and went over and grabbed Kate's hand and started pulling until she got Kate over to where Rick was still standing. Alexis still had a hold of Kate's hand and took Rick's hand and together they left the house and went for a walk out into the valley.

They were far out into the valley before anyone said a word.

Alexis was still scared. Watching her father go under had scared her to her very core. Having Kate listen to her talking about what she felt gave Kate conflicting thoughts. Kate was scared too but she also felt a need to reassure Alexis that everything was alright.

Kate could only think of one thing to do about that. She kissed Rick openly and as deeply as she dared, then bent down and hugged Alexis and kissed her cheek. Then went back to walking with them hand in hand.

They were deep out into the valley. "Now what dad?" Alexis knew they were screwed.

"The Range Rover could make it across if it wasn't so deep and we found a better bank on both sides. It might exist but we would need to cut down a lot of trees and either clear the trees we do cut down or go over them if they are small enough.

All that could take us weeks. And that's if we found a spot to cross at." Rick ticks off one box.

"You said something about going around the lake I crashed at." Kate questions.

"We could take the Range Rover part of the way but the trees will get too dense eventually and we would need to start cutting them down too. Maybe double the number of trees.

The quads might make it but we only have two. Plus we would need for them to carry food, water and gas for about a week or more. And we are just not set up for that kind of a trip." Rick shoots that idea down.

"Can we take the Range Rover and drive as far as we can and then hike out?" Alexis wonders. They had a number of those MRE's after all.

"Except we have school type backpacks not hiking backpacks. And even then we only have one for you and me. What does Kate use?" Rick wasn't so sure about that idea either.

"You could leave me behind and hike out." Kate offers. There was lots of food, water and power for her to last a very long time.

Rick shakes his head. "Even if we did get lucky it will take weeks, months maybe to replace that bridge with a bigger one. No, out of the question."

Even Alexis was shaking her head. She was not leaving Kate all alone.

"No communication of any kind?" Kate asks.

Rick shakes his head. "No mail, no internet, no cell phone service, no horses, no rockets. We could send smoke signals." Rick jokes.

"Dad? …. Smoke means forest fire. They would come look at least." Alexis latches on to the smoke idea.

Rick thinks it over. "We have campfires all the time and it doesn't attract attention. Something big enough to get their attention would need to be a real forest fire.

Sandy wet this area pretty good. We start a forest fire we could end up ruining this whole area and maybe burn ourselves out of a house." Rick takes worst case scenario.

Alexis's shoulders slump, her dad had a point. The valley, forest, stream and the dirt road was why they bought this area. It had taken them months of looking when she was just a little girl to find it. A forest fire would ruin it all.

"You can't just fall off the planet. Surely someone will come looking." Kate argues or prays maybe.

"I write my books during the summer out here. When we get back into the city I send them to Gina who will review them and make notes and force a re-write before being published. Except she'll just call and call when I don't send what she is waiting for.

Then what she does is anyone's guess." Rick tells her.

"No one from this town we were going to go to?" Kate asks.

Rick shakes his head. "Not until the propane guy to fill the tanks and then he sends the bill, when he finds the bridge is gone and can't get here to fill them?" Rick shrugs his shoulders.

"Grams." Alexis offers.

Kate gives them her best 'What or who is a Grams?' look.

"My mother. She will be expecting us to return. She spends part of the summer at her studio and the apartment located above it and then goes over to our place to turn it all back on for us before we get there.

When we don't show?" Rick was at a loss as to what she would do.

"Call Evans?" Alexis wonders.

"The guy we get our pellets from before we come out here. We usually check in with him on our way out. We leave an order for more pellets for next year and verify that the propane guy will come out here.

He might come looking for us. What he does when he finds the bridge gone?" Rick shrugs his shoulders again.

"I'm sorry dad." Alexis tells him.

"Why should you be sorry pumpkin, it's not your fault." Kate comments not understanding her logic.

Alexis however grins big and launches herself at Kate and hugs her.

Kate is at a loss as to where this was coming from but it felt pretty good so she hugs her back.

Kate breaks from the hug and looks at Alexis." Why would you think this is your fault?"

"Dad wanted to buy a satellite phone and I wouldn't let him. I wanted to get away from it all and that included phones." Alexis explains.

Satellite phone! Now Kate got it. Kate hugs Alexis again. "It's not your fault sweetie. There was no way for you to know."

Kate hugs her for a minute then breaks from the hug and kisses her forehead, then stands up. When she does Rick moves in and wraps his arms around Kate and kisses her soundly.

Kate is at a loss as to why all this hugging and kissing she is getting but she'll take it.

When Rick breaks from the kiss Kate smiles at him. "This still leaves our original problem. The one we were going into town for in the first place." Rick tells them still holding onto Kate.

"I hope you have enough clothes for both of us." Is Kate's answer.

"It's going to get cold dad." Alexis looks ahead.

"We brought extra winter clothes because of last year. My stuff is going to be a little big for Kate, but if she layers enough it might work. But we still need feminine products." Rick points out.

"There is one or two in the emergency supplies under each seat in my life pod. Giant sea urchin as you call it." Kate tells him.

"We brought one of them back with us dad." Alexis points out.

"One or two per box and there were five total. Enough to last maybe all summer and winter maybe. Five months will get us into winter. Ten months would get us through winter." Rick points out.

"We left all the others at the lake." Alexis adds.

"I guess I make a trip then." Rick guesses.

They start back for the house talking about what to do next and long term plans. Propane and gasoline were the two big items that they couldn't replace in some way.

Limit the use of gasoline to hunting trips and this one trip back to the lake. And they were going to have to cook outside in the fire pit a lot during summer. The oven and the A/C unit worked on propane.

They would use the pellet stove for when it got cold enough to require heat. The solar hot water system would help reduce the use of propane but not when there was snow on the panels. And the clothes dryer worked off of propane too. Hanging clothes out to dry in freezing temperatures?

So long as the solar power panels were not covered in snow they were good. Even if they were they still had the windmills and battery backup.

Rick packed enough for three days. Enough gas to get there and back. And of course the S&W in case any wolves came looking. Rick was more worried about running afoul of a black bear than wolves but wolves were on Alexis's mind when she brought it up.

"Give me three days before you start to worry and come looking." Rick tells them.

"Three days dad and then I'm coming to get you." Alexis tells him. Alexis wasn't big on this plan. She watched him almost drown and now this.

"I'll be fine pumpkin. You watch after Kate." Rick gives her a hug and kisses her forehead.

"Just find them and get back here. There is nothing else out there that we need." Kate tells him. Then wraps her arms around him and kisses him.

Rick puts on his helmet. "I don't suppose the other boxes have bars of chocolate?"

Kate shakes her head. "Don't I wish." Getting a smile out of her at his humor.

Rick puts the visor down and fires up the quad. One last look back and he's off.

Kate moves over to Alexis and wraps an arm around her while they watch him head out into the valley. "He'll be back pumpkin. Nothing to worry about." Kate still doesn't notice that she is using that term, but Alexis has. And Kate gets a hug for it as they watch.

There had been a brief debate on who should be going. The items were for Kate and no one else. And her weapon didn't need re-loading. However Rick was quick to point out she didn't know how to get to the lake. Had never gone camping. Well not this kind of serious camping and had never ridden a quad before.

Kate lost and neither Rick nor Kate was going to let Alexis go alone, so that left Rick the winner.

"How about you show me these greenhouses of yours?" Kate asks Alexis to help take their minds off of Rick being gone.

Rick knew exactly where he was going. He had made this trip countless times with Alexis. He could even still make out the drag marks from the travoi they had used to get Kate to the house.

He even found the campsite from last time on their trip to the lake.

Except for the noise of the forest it felt weird to him doing it alone this time. No one to talk to. No one to enjoy the trip with. Even when he got to the lake he wasn't going to stay. He wanted to find what he was after as fast as possible and be back at this camp site that same day.

Rick had brought pre-cooked meals in Tupperware with him this time. All he had to do was warm it up in the fire. He also had some jerky to chew on.

Rick had reached their plateau campsite about lunch the next day. He found the boxes without much trouble and got what he wanted out of them.

The others had been left at the crash site.

At the crash site he searched and searched but came up empty. No boxes!

Sitting at the lake edge on one of the fallen trees. "If I was an emergency ration box, where would I be?"

Rick only has six of what he came for with two at the house. He needed at least one of these boxes.

"Ok, I was inside the giant sea urchin when I threw them out the opening. Most of them landed about here, or there." Rick walks from the crash site towards the lake.

"Maybe a bear came by and tried to open one or more of them?" Rick wonders out loud. "He would knock them around a little, maybe smelling the MRE's inside.

I would use my muscles to crush one of them open. And if it didn't I would get pissed.

I don't see any debris that he succeeded. So I wack it a good one and send it flying or I just leave it alone.

After we left what happened?" Rick walks thru what he is thinking.

"Sandy happened. It's why I'm out here all alone in the first place." Rick walks down to the lake edge and looks out onto the lake.

"OH, you have got to be shitting me! …. God damn hurricane." Out in the lake Rick can see two nice shinny objects bobbing in the water.

Rick starts to take his clothes off then changes his mind and puts them back on.

Wandering around he gathers up some firewood and soon has a nice fire going that should last for a couple of hours easy. "Now I know where to come back to and get warm and dry."

Rick strips and hangs his clothes on the spines of Kate's life pod and heads for the lake edge.

Sticking his toes in the water, Rick shakes. "You owe me Kate. You owe me big." The lake water was cold.

Rick picks his direction. "Go straight Rick, go straight." And he wades out into the lake. "Holy shit that's cold."

Rick got busy swimming. He swam for a little while then stopped to gauge how far out he was. "I'm close, really close." Back to swimming.

Rick swims out a little further and practically swims right into one. Looking around he sees the other a little further out.

Rick moves out to it and pushes it over to the other one. They are not that big so he first tries keeping them together using his arms. Using them as arm floaters he starts kicking.

This lasts a little while before he loses one of them. Then struggles to get it back under control.

He is now close enough that he can barely reach the ground with his feet. At this point he stands and shot puts both of them one at a time towards shore.

Wading in shivering big time he picks them up and throws them further in onto the ground. Then walks over to the fire he had made and throws on more wood.

He was cold, really cold. His skin looked like a different color to him. Plus his teeth were chattering.

It took a little while before he started to feel warm. He never left the fire until he did feel warm.

Putting his clothes back on he stood next to the fire a little longer. Warm was good.

Finally he opened his two boxes. Finding two of what he was here for in each box.

Then he decided to eat one of the mini MRE's that was in one of them. They tasted just like theirs.

In his best Yoda voice. "How you get so big eating food of this kind?" But he ate it anyway.

"Ok I've got what I want, let's get the hell out of here." Rick uses one of the now empty boxes to throw water on his little campfire.

Rick heads for his quad. With helmet on and fires up his quad and is on the move.

It was about an hour later and he was making good time. When he stopped.

"Well aren't you cute." Rick had found a baby black bear cub. "You want to come home with me. Alexis would love you." Rick watched him for a minute.

"Where's your mom kiddo?" Rick started looking. "Mom, me, bear cub. Equals dead me if mommy sees us." Rick guns his quad and doesn't slow down anytime soon.

Kate was impressed. Both of the greenhouse's had two rows of plants in pots or in these little starter packs on both sides. Plus there was dirt and potting soil and compost bags everywhere.

Alexis walked her through everything she had planted in each greenhouse. They would have something fresh from each of them in a few weeks.

Then out to the garden where Alexis walked her through what she had planted out there too.

Kate couldn't help but be impressed. Alexis was clearly a genius when it came to plants. Kate wondered what Alexis could do if she were on her planet instead of Kate being on hers.

Back inside they ate lunch. "Movie?" Alexis asks.

"Sure. You choose. Is there popcorn?" Kate asks remembering they had popcorn last time.

They were soon both on the sofa munching on popcorn while watching 'Wall-E'

When they finally made it to the Axiom. "Was your ship like this one?" Alexis asked.

"NO." Kate laughs. "No floating chairs. No walls made of glass. No vast amounts of wasted space. Certainly no pool. We did have a few robots that did maintenance work. But not nearly this many." Kate explains.

By the time Wall-E and Eve were outside the ship dancing along the side of the Axiom, Alexis had snuggled in close to Kate who had her arm around her holding her close.

After the movie was over. "We need to cook dinner outside on the campfire. How about steaks, baked potato and carrots?" Alexis offers. Knowing where the potatoes and carrots are going to come from.

"Sounds good, I'll start the fire while you get the food." Kate offers.

While they were cooking they both caught themselves staring out into the valley.

After dinner Alexis taught her a card game. Then they went to bed.

Kate way lying in bed alone and not liking it. Kate was used to having Rick in bed with her in her arms.

It had to be at least a couple of hours later and Kate was still awake when she heard a knock on her door. "You awake?" Alexis asks standing in the doorway.

"Yea, I can't sleep." Kate whispers out.

"Neither can I." Alexis tells her.

Kate pulls the sheet back. "Come on."

Alexis grins and hops into bed and snuggles her back up against Kate's chest. While Kate places an arm over Alexis.

"Good night Kate."

"Good night pumpkin."


	19. Chapter 19

**CH19**

Bracken had been fortunate or as the doctor had put it "Allah has smiled upon you." Bracken didn't get an infection. At least not one his immune system couldn't cope with.

Then he was discharged from the hospital. They needed his bed since wounded came in everyday.

It didn't take long before he found himself confronted with a street fight. Bracken did his best to sit on the sidelines and try and figure out who was who and what the fight was about.

Problem was most of them spoke using a language he didn't understand.

Then he caught a break, one of the men seemed to be leading the charge for one side was injured and Bracken jumped in and helped some other man carry him to safety and then rode with him to the hospital where he received treatment.

Bracken stayed with him until he was released. Bracken spent the time talking to him. He learned a lot about what the fight was about from this one man.

His English was broken but Bracken caught most of it. When this man escorted Bracken to his home for someplace to sleep as payment for his actions, this was where Bracken started learning this new language.

Bracken had big plans on Tellus and these people were a lot like the 'Rags' back home. So he adopted his only plan to this planet using these people.

Bracken's ideas were at first dismissed, however events came to pass that showed his ideas just might work.

Soon this man and a few others were now followers of Bracken. He was in charge now.

"We need to spread these ideas to the other cells. Only together will we defeat them. Once we show that their lives are better under our policies people will flock to our ways." Bracken tells him.

"People need jobs and stability. Once we give our people this stability the others will convert to our ways. And this country will once again be strong." Bracken adds.

"Allah be praised."

Bracken had his plan. With a little work and a lot of blood, he would be President of this country. Teach them what they had to do and they would finally defeat this country called Israel, once and for all.

Then expand to other border countries. Syria was in turmoil, it was ripe for the picking. Lebanon would be first. Israel would be surrounded. They may have the military with the backing of this country called United States, but the Mediterranean would be their only source of commerce access.

When he controlled the Mediterranean he could destroy Israel's economy and force them into submission.

While all of this was happening he would take Iraq. The United States had pulled out and left it a mess. He would clean it up and add it to his Empire.

It was all so easy. These people were so stupid. All he had to do was show them the way and they would follow him as loyal lap dogs. Willing to kill themselves to achieve his goals.

Once this area was secure he could move to the countries of North Africa to his West, until he reached Gibraltar, the chocking point for everything in the Mediterranean. United Kingdom may own it now but they were weak. They didn't have the forces or the navy to protect it anymore.

Yea, he was going to enjoy this planet!

Kate and Alexis woke up almost at the same time finding they were sleeping on opposite sides of the bed. They rolled over and ended up facing each other. "Hi."

"Hi."

"I'll start breakfast if you want to shower first?" Alexis offers.

"Sounds like a plan." Kate was willing to let Alexis cook. Seems Rick had been teaching her a few things.

Sausage, eggs, toast and orange juice were waiting for Kate by the time she got down to the kitchen. "I hope the sausage isn't too spicy for you. Dad and I like things with a little kick to them."

"So long as it doesn't try and melt my face off like your chili, I'm sure I'll be fine." Kate thinks. There was ice cold orange juice after all. It did however get Alexis to giggle.

"I'm sorry, but it was funny." Alexis is still giggling.

Kate had been right, the sausage did have a little kick to it. Not enough to melt her face off, but it did get her nose running and she drank a lot to try and kill the heat.

Kate went outside after she was done while Alexis went upstairs to take a shower.

Alexis found Kate standing on the back patio staring out into the valley, so Alexis walked up and stood next to her.

"He should have already left camp and be headed for the lake by now. Find what you need and be back to that same campsite by tonight." Alexis tells her.

"All because I need a few, …." But Kate is interrupted by Alexis.

"It's not your fault Kate." Alexis stops her.

Kate responds by putting an arm out and wrap it around Alexis and then she bends down to kiss the top of her head. "It's just you and your dad. What happened to you mother?"

Alexis steps into Kate to get a little closer so she can lean into her. "Mom did something mean to dad when I was really little. Dad won't talk about it. He just said it was something he could never forgive her for and they got divorced.

Mom didn't want me so I ended up with my dad. He's been great though. I've been lucky to have him.

I hear stories from other kids in school who got divorced. It's sad; they talk about how they still yell at each other. They are forced to live part time with their dad and part time with their mom.

Different home, different country, different school, different friends." Alexis actually shivers at what she has heard.

Kate moves in behind Alexis and wraps both her arms around Alexis and pulls her in tight.

"Mom doesn't come to my birthday parties even when she says she will. I never see her at Christmas or get presents from her.

Then she just shows up at the house suddenly and stays a day or two. Then she takes me out shopping using dad's credit card and we come back with more stuff than we can carry.

Then mom will say something that gets dad mad and I can hear them yelling at each other from my bedroom.

One year, when I was younger, mom showed up and wanted to take me shopping. We had to fly to get there. Everyone spoke a language I didn't understand. … I found out later she had flown me to Paris without my dad's permission.

The French police showed up and took us to the airport. Mom was yelling at them the entire time.

Dad met us at the airport and him and mom had a big fight in the middle of the airport.

Mom still shows up suddenly and expects things. Usually she and dad fight and then she leaves only to come back a few months or next year and do it all over again." Alexis tells her with tears starting.

Kate had heard enough, she spins Alexis around and kneels down and wraps her arms around Alexis and holds her tight. Kate was going to break every bone in this woman's body if she ever saw her, and she knew how too. Kate had, had a lot of training to be a Chief Security Officer.

Kate could feel Alexis's tears and found surprisingly that Kate was adding her own.

Kate pulls back and wipes away Alexis's tears and then some of her own. "I'm going to need clothes. I don't suppose you have a sewing machine?" Kate asks. Having something to do would get her mind off of this stinking woman whom she wanted to rip to pieces. Plus it would get her tears to stop.

"Kinda. We have this little battery powered one that dad saw on TV one day. He thought it would be good for emergencies." Alexis tells her. "We also have a small travel sewing kit with a lot of needles and thread. Dad kind of over does things sometimes." Alexis rubs at her eyes.

"Well I'd say me not having any clothes qualifies as an emergency. How about you go find it and let's see what we can cut up and sew back together?" Kate asks.

It would keep both of them busy and their minds off of worrying about Rick.

It had taken some time to sort through all of Rick's clothes and Alexis had volunteered some of hers. Between them they started sorting what they had chosen to work with.

Kate only had the one bra and they didn't have the skill to make any more so Kate was going to have to go bra less most of the time. Probably all of the time.

Kate had drawn out a template that they could use to make panties with. With their skill at this it was decided that thongs would be all that were made.

Alexis got to work cutting and sewing them together with a piece of a cotton t-shirt strategically placed. While Kate went to work figuring out what to do with some of the t-shirts for tops.

Kate commandeered one of Rick's shirts to be used as a night shirt for bed.

They had stopped for lunch then back at it before stopping for dinner. Kate built up the fire while Alexis put the food together.

They were actually sitting by the fire eating dinner. Kate thought it gave the dinner character. "Now if you just had a pool." Kate mostly just mentions it to herself. They obviously didn't have one.

"Actually we do. It's not very big, only 12-feet in diameter and about 30-inches deep. You have to inflate the upper ring and then fill it with water. We even have this solar cover that we put over it to warm up the water, since the water from the stream is kinda cold.

We only use it for a month or two usually. Right in the middle of summer." Alexis had heard Kate.

Now Kate was dreaming. Soaking in a pool. Submerging to see how long she can hold her breath. Problem was she didn't have a swim suit.

Skinny dipping with Rick in the pool brought a smile to her face. Getting frisky with Rick in the pool only increased her smile.

Alexis had noticed the smile, but got the reason for it wrong. But still she liked Kate's smile. Something she noticed Kate had been doing more of lately.

"Do you have a pool at home?" Kate wonders.

"No, we would have to go to a public pool center for that. Downtown New York is kinda crowded and noisy. It's why we come out here in the summer. To get away from it all. This year is going to be different I guess." Alexis comments thinking about the upcoming winter.

Then it hits her. "I'm going to miss school. I'll fall behind by a whole year." This part did not make her happy.

"If we could get Lucy plugged into one of your dad's computers she could home school you. She knows a lot. Most of it is about Tellus so I guess geography would be out. However math and science and maybe a few others she would be very good at." Kate tells her.

It still left them with needing a cable but it made Alexis feel better.

After they cleaned up from dinner that sat at the fire and just watched it. "Marshmallows?" Alexis offers.

"Sure." Kate would rather have those smores so she could eat chocolate, but this was good.

"You and your dad do this a lot?" Kate pops the marshmallow into her mouth.

"Yup, even when we go camping. You can't do this in New York, and there aren't any stars." Alexis explains.

Kate was a go go go all the time type person but these two were teaching her something else. Slow down and enjoy. Kate wasn't completely comfortable with the idea yet, but she was learning.

"Dad should be back at the campsite by now." Alexis comments.

"I'm sure Rick is fine." Kate tells Alexis.

"I'm going to bed, good night Kate." And Alexis stops at Kate to kiss her cheek, then heads for the house.

"Good night pumpkin." Kate calls after her.

'PUMPKIN!' I called her pumpkin! And I did it without even thinking about it. Do I care that much about her?

I do want to rip her useless waste of space for a mother limb from limb.

If Alexis is pumpkin, what is Rick? And I'm sitting out here worrying about him wondering what he is doing.

I wish I understood all this. And these two call me 'Family'. And when Alexis mentioned the pool the first thing that came to mind was being in it with Rick. Naked!

"I don't know what to do." Kate tells herself and rubs her hand down her face. "But if I'm going to be here all summer, fall and winter I guess I'm going to find out."

Kate didn't move for some time. An occasional piece of wood went on the fire, but mostly Kate stared at the fire or out into the dark valley beyond.

Rick meanwhile was sitting on the ground staring into his fire. "Crap! I didn't bring any marshmallows." As Rick hangs his head low. "Sometimes I wonder if it's even screwed on."

Then he shivered involuntarily. Rick wasn't cold, he just missed having company.

Not like his family was big or anything. It was just him, Alexis and his mother. Sure he had friends, people he could count on and call friend.

And now there was Kate. Kate was a friend and fast becoming more than just a friend and it looked like he was going to get to know Kate really well. Including every square inch of her.

This might turn out to be the best summer vacation, ever!


	20. Chapter 20

**CH20**

Rick was up at the crack of dawn and all packed up. Soon he was making his way out of the tree line and into the valley. Just making out the spec in the distance that was the house.

Rick had already stopped for lunch and decided to make his way along the tree line. He wanted to move his traps to new locations a little further out. He didn't want to over hunt one location. After all he wasn't the only hunter in these woods.

Rick had five traps to relocate and none of them had anything in them. "Yup, need to move them."

This was going to eat up some of Rick's time and make him late back to the house, but he would still be there before dark.

Rick didn't have any trouble re-setting the traps. He had lots of space to choose from. He would eventually move them to out in front of the house down their trail eventually.

It was a little late in the day when he pulled into the storage area off of the carport. He had only just turned off the quad when something with red hair flying everywhere hit him. "Hi pumpkin, miss me?" Rick was teasing.

"No dad I didn't miss you." Then she hugged him again. They she punched him in the shoulder. "You're late!" Now looking mad at him.

"Sorry. I decided to stop and move my traps on the way in. They were all empty by the way." Rick tells her taking off his helmet.

"Well I'm still mad at you and not coming home with dinner only makes it worse." Alexis walks past Kate and back inside to sulk.

"I suppose you're mad at me too?" Rick looks at Kate as she steps closer.

Kate however just kisses him soundly not waiting to ask if her tongue can enter. Kate wanted it to be a deep soul penetrating kiss. "That was for going out there just to get a few little things." Kate whispers into his lips.

Then she steps back and punches him in the arm. "And that was for making Alexis worry and for not coming back with dinner."

Then Kate steps back in and kisses him softly and passionately. "I want you tonight. Don't make me wait or I'll start without you." And Kate goes inside to find Alexis.

Kate found Alexis in the living room sitting on the sofa. Kate sits down beside her and puts an arm around her. "He's fine pumpkin. He was always fine." I said pumpkin again and I'm consoling her about her father. Who am I?

"I know, it's just, … I watched him almost drown and except for you and grams he's the only family I have." Alexis leans into Kate.

I'M FAMILY!? "It's always been just you and your dad hasn't it?" Kate thinks she already knows the answer.

Alexis nods her head. "Until you showed up. I have a few friends at home and school, like Paige. My mom has never, …." Alexis trails off.

"I don't know what your mother is. I know what I'd like to do with her. Tie her to railroad tracks comes to mind. Or strap her to a rocket and watch it go high up into the air and watch it go BOOM! Maybe lock her in a dark cabin filled with dynamite and give her some matches, and watch her launch herself out into space.

On second thought scratch that last one. She might make it to my planet and I couldn't do that to my planet." Kate tells her smiling.

Alexis giggles. Has Kate been watching Looney Tunes while on her space ship?

"The point is, your dad is fine, I'm fine and you're fine. We're just stuck in the middle of nowhere is all. … A very nice middle of nowhere, with excellent company." Kate tells her and kisses the side of her head.

"Thanks Kate. I should go apologize to dad." And Alexis starts to get up.

Kate pulls her back down. "Oh no you don't. Women are never wrong, even when we are. You sit here and make your dad come to you and apologize. Trust me." Kate tells her.

Kate made Alexis sit and wait, and a few minutes later. "I'm sorry pumpkin, I'm not trying to scare you. Some things are just inherently going to look that way. … How about some chocolate to make it up to you?" Rick offers.

Kate jerks her head around to look at Rick, while Alexis giggles. "Sure dad."

Alexis turns to look at Kate with a puzzled expression. Kate just smiles at her. "Remember, women are always right. Always."

Rick is back a little later with two Hersheys bars with almonds and hands one to Alexis and one to Kate.

Kate grabs it and runs it under her nose inhaling deeply, then she reaches up and grabs Rick and pulls him down and kisses him soundly, forcing her tongue in to search his mouth and taste him.

Kate breaks from the kiss and let's go of Rick and opens her chocolate bar. "Hhmmm, with almonds!" And starts to nibble little bites.

And promptly melts into the sofa not to be seen again until she is done eating.

Alexis was soon done with her bar and watched Kate disappear while she slowly ate hers.

Alexis gets up and finds her dad in the kitchen getting dinner ready. "I think we now know Kate's weakness dad. And I thought Kryptonite got to Super Man." Alexis giggles a little.

"Guess I know what to use if I'm ever in her dog house." Rick chuckles. "How about you chop up the vegetables and I'll see if I can get Kate to return from the land of OZ."

Rick steps up to Kate and her face is serene looking, lost in space kind of look. It was sweet.

Rick waved his hand across her face and came up empty. "Kate?" And gets nothing. So he takes her hands and lifts her up till she is standing with a face that is unchanged.

Soooo, Rick puts his arms around her and kisses her.

It takes a little while but Kate responds by raising her arms around his neck and starts kissing him back.

Kate tastes like chocolate.

Rick breaks from the kiss so he can breathe. "Dinner is almost ready if you want to go upstairs and wash."

However Kate's answer to his comment is to kiss him.

After Kate breaks from the kiss. "Go wash." And Rick pushes her towards the stairs.

They take their food outside to sit at the patio table. "Tell us about ship life." Alexis asks her curious.

"Ship life, …. There was a recreation room where you could play games, lift weights. There was also a place were on certain days you could watch movies like in a theater. There was no greenhouse. Your individual room, if you were an officer, was smaller than the pantry closet in the kitchen.

The crew bunked in rooms that held four people each. The bathroom was a communal room, one for men and one for women. The kitchen was a food dispenser with a large seating area that held a little under 40 people at a time.

It was an exploration ship so weapons were minimal on the ship and I was the only one on the ship that was armed." Kate holds up her arm.

"Food dispenser?" Alexis asks.

"Yea." Kate makes a face. "The food was dispensed individually based on your weight that you had to get by going to medical every two weeks. The food itself was a gloop that came out of the dispenser. It was kind of like a pudding. The taste changed every few days and they told us it was filled with all the nutrients that we would need.

It reminded me more of baby food." Kate makes a face again.

Alexis follows her example. "Eewww, baby food? …. Where was Lucy?"

"Lucy was in my office across the hall from my room. It was about the size of the shower in the bathroom upstairs. It was filled with monitors that I could view every section of the ship. Including the bathroom area." Kate explains.

"Did you work the entire time or did you have days off?" Alexis asks.

"There were shifts with multiple people capable of doing more than one thing, unless you were in medical. Myself I was the Security Chief but I was also an engineer. I could work and fix the engines of the ship. Well most of them anyway.

You were supposed to work 12 hours on 12 hours off. I rarely did, I preferred to be active most days." Kate tells them.

"You seemed to have slowed down some since you've been here with us." Rick points out.

"Yea, I'm learning to take things slower. I blame you two." Kate takes a jab at them. Though her smile betrays her.

"We'll have you a master at doing things slower before we leave to go back to the city." Rick smiles back at her.

Suddenly Kate didn't look so happy. "What Kate?" Rick had spotted it. And when she didn't answer he got up and moved to the love seat she was sitting on and sat next to her.

Putting an arm around her. "What Kate? Talk to me. Don't shut us out now. We're all family here."

There was that word again. They used it so easily. "I'm not from here. I don't have anything to do here. When you leave here I don't have anywhere to go. You apparently don't have space travel so getting back home is out."

Alexis hops up off the sofa and practically sits in Kate's lap. "You're going home with us. You're going to live with us. We have lots of space." Alexis tells her looking directly into Kate's eyes.

"I know people. I can get you a drivers license, passport, social security card. Even a high school diploma, college might be a little more difficult but not impossible.

As for a job, you said you worked in security; you could open your own private security firm. Be a private investigator. Join the New York police department. Create a background for you. Coach you with what to say in an interview.

Kate, you're with us now, and in case you haven't noticed, you're not getting rid of us that easily." Rick tells her.

Then takes Kate's head between his hands and kisses her soundly directly in front of Alexis. And when Rick is done Alexis kisses her cheek and whispers in her ear. "You're going home with us. You don't have a choice."

It was taking every ounce of control Kate had not to cry. Still she was having trouble breathing and was blinking back tears.

Rick stood up and held out his hands. "Come on time for another lesson in how to slow down. I think a nice slow walk out in the valley under the moon light will do just the trick."

Alexis hops up and holds out her hands too. Kate reaches out and puts one hand in each of theirs and gets pulled up and escorted outside.

Out into the valley they walk with Rick holding her hand on one side and Alexis holding her hand on the other.

No one said a word during the entire walk. Out into the valley and then back to the house. They made it as far as the campfire site where Rick started a fire and Kate sat down on a large log that was being used as a bench to sit on.

"I'm going to go to bed. Good night dad, I love you." And Alexis hugs him and gets a hug in return.

"Good night pumpkin, I love you too."

Alexis moves over to Kate who is sitting and wraps her arms around her. "Good night Kate." Then leans way in to whisper in her ear so softly her dad can't hear. "I love you too." And kisses Kate on the cheek and runs into the house.

Kate just sits there in complete shock. Can't move, can't talk.

Rick has gotten the fire going and sits next to Kate. "You alright? I know we hit you with a lot today." Rick tells her not knowing what Alexis had just done to Kate.

Kate had a completely lost look on her face. "Yes, …. No, …. I don't know."

Kate turned to look at Rick. She had seen that face, that look he was giving her countless times before. All in her dreams.

Kate didn't know what to do. She was excited, scared, petrified, horny. It was just too much to process. So she grabbed Rick's head with both hands and kissed him. Then kissed him again.

Rick was soon kissing her back and had moved his hands with one of them on her breast while the other worked her inner thigh.

Kate responded by moving one of her hands down to his crotch area and started stroking. Kate wanted him and she wanted him NOW!

There was a blanket on one of the chairs in case it got cold. Kate grabbed it and rolled it out on the ground and started stripping in front of Rick, taking her time to give him a show.

Rick followed her lead and they were both soon naked and laying on the blanket on the ground next to the fire.

A little later they were still on the blanket and the fire was dying down and things were getting a little cooler. "We should move this inside." Rick tells her.

They gather up their clothes and fold the blanket back up and leave it on the chair. Then sneak their way inside and up the stairs as quietly as possible holding their clothes close.

Once in bed they start round three for the night. Where Kate can scream into her pillow instead of her t-shirt.


	21. Chapter 21

**CH21**

Dick Coonan was floating down having pulled his chute early. Looking around he didn't see another chute. He didn't see a body either. He could however just make out the shuttle as it was headed down at a steep angle.

If that idiot Bracken had waited too long to jump they would end up untold miles from each other. That's if the bozo had enough brains to pull the handle to open the chute.

If he had known he was going to blow the ship up he wouldn't have taken his money. Besides all that money was on the ship that was now in little itty bitty pieces.

This had turned out to be a really bad deal.

He was floating down and it looked like a desert of some kind. Not an ounce of green to be seen anywhere. This planet was going to suck. If there wasn't any green vegetation how could there be oxygen for him to breath? Since he was breathing.

As he got closer he could see people moving around. Suddenly he could see a large truck and two smaller vehicles driving across the desert to a place where it looked like he was going to land.

No sooner than he had landed when three of them were on him hitting him repeatedly with the butt end of their guns.

It was hurting a lot. "Hey I'm not armed. Stop already." But they just kept hitting him over and over again.

Finally he couldn't take the pain anymore and his world went black.

The next thing Coonan knew he was hanging from a hook in the ceiling with hands bound. It hurt to just be hanging there.

He hung there for he didn't know how long when two men came in. One of them had a weapon of some kind that looked like the others.

The other guy had a long thin stick made of an unknown material.

The guy with the stick started walking around Coonan in a circle talking to him in a language he didn't understand. Then he used the stick on his naked back. It hurt a lot and Coonan was sure it had ripped his back open as he cried out in pain.

The same guy went back to circling him yelling at him now. "I don't understand you, what do you want?" Coonan asks.

His response to have the stick hit him in the thigh. This strike hurt a lot too and he cried out in pain.

"Tell me what you want."

The man yelled at him again and this time struck him twice in the back. This got Coonan to cry out in pain again.

"Tell me what you want. I haven't done anything." Coonan tries again.

This time however the man doesn't strike him. Coonan thinks he has finally reached him. Then suddenly his naked ass feels like it is on fire and he yells in pure pain.

Coonan was having his naked ass branded with a hot iron. His branded ass was then doused with some kind of liquid that made it burn. Coonan yelled out in pain yet again.

"Stop, I don't know anything."

Coonan could hear something slapping on the floor. Twisting to try and figure out what it was, he saw a whip! "No, no, no. Tell me what you want."

His bare back is whipped and rips open his back. This is repeated yet again. Coonan screams out in pain each time.

He is whipped three more times screaming in pain each time.

The man comes around and yells at him in a language Coonan doesn't understand. Then the man smiles at him. It is a smile that chills him to the bone. Then he disappears behind his back.

When he comes back around to face Coonan he has the branding iron in his hand again. It is glowing hot. And he lifts it up for Coonan to see and feel it's heat just off his nose. Then he promptly pushes it into his exposed left arm pit.

Coonan screams in pure pain. Coonan is barely breathing from all the pain. When he sees the man come around with a bottle of something and splashes it on his burn spot. The liquid burns and Coonan screams in pain again.

Coonan can hear the whip hitting the floor again. Then he can feel it ripping open his back again. Screaming in pain with each hit.

Coonan can't think straight enough to talk to him anymore. He can barely breathe.

Then the man is back at his front with the branding iron again. Coonan wants to scream NO, PLEASE, but he can't.

The man presses it into his other open arm pit and Coonan screams yet again and his world goes black from the pain.

The next time he wakes he is still naked but this time he is strapped to a chair in what looks like the same room, but he couldn't tell.

A little later a different man enters along with the guy with the weapon.

This guy is better dressed and he has two items, one in each hand. One of them is long, thin and brown in color. Using the other item he clips an end off of the long, thin brown item.

Then he pulls out a match and lights the end of the brown stick. Smoke starts to come out of the stick and out of his mouth.

The man seems to puff or inhale with the stick in his mouth. Coonan can see the end glow.

"So American spy, why are you here?" He asks while puffing on his stick.

Coonan can understand him, barely. His English is heavily accented.

"What do you want, and what is an American?" Coonan asks.

"Ohhh, that is a good one American spy. You jump into a secret facility and expect us to do nothing about it. So what did you hope to accomplish American spy?"

"I don't know what you are talking about." Coonan moans.

The man moves over and pulls out the other device and forces Coonan's pinky finger into the center of it. "You have 8 fingers American spy. Every time you lie to me you lose a finger. Now, what is your name?"

"Dick Coonan."

"Very good. Now who sent you to spy on us?"

"No one sent me to spy. I'm not a spy." SNAP! And Coonan screams in pain. Then screams in pain again when the man seals the open wound of his missing finger using the branding iron.

Over the next two days Dick Coonan loses all 8 of his fingers and has the wounds sealed using the branding iron.

The man is smoking his cigar in a different room with one other man. In a language Coonan would not understand. "What have you learned?"

"Nothing, he has continued to deny he is an American spy with the CIA."

"He parachuted into a top secret Uranium enrichment facility only miles outside Tehran and he has told you nothing." He is not happy.

"The wind probably took him of course from jumping into the city to meet his contact."

"And instead he lands on top of a facility we were sure the Americans knew nothing about."

"So it would appear."

"This is a catastrophe. If the Americans know they will tell their lap dogs in Israel who will not think twice about bombing it to prevent us from gaining a nuclear weapon they themselves have and hold over our head."

"What do you want me to do with him?"

"Kill him, chop him up and dump his body parts in areas all over the desert. We will step up our efforts to find his contact and bring him to you. Do not fail with him." Or you will be chopped up and dumped in the desert is left unsaid.

Dick Coonan was unconscious when he was killed and then chopped limb from limb and dumped in the desert. Never to be seen by anyone again.

Bracken was doing better than Coonan, he even had a plan. These people were going about it all wrong and would only create enemies of their own people that they would end up fighting for generations to come. What they needed was to convert them. Get them to see that their way would unify the country, not wreck it like they were now.

He wanted two men to burn down one of their school buildings meant only for their children, the opposition. There would be a march, protest if you will that his men would lead.

These men would see the building going up in flames and risk their lives to save all of the children from the school. Several of these men would be injured; one or two may actually die.

These same men would find the arsonists in the school and drag them out, identify who they were and on whose side they worked for. Then his men would proceed to beat them to a pulp in front of all the parents of these children before taking them to the local authorities. Where they would be convicted and executed. Possibly painfully.

If this worked and got the other side, at least a few of them, to think better of them they could try it again. Only using a different building or house. And keep doing it over and over. Then eventually switch tactics to something Bracken had in mind.

If it worked his new friend agreed to give Bracken a tutor to teach him Arabic instead of the hated American English.

Three days later Bracken was in the front of a huge protest going down several streets. They looted and broke store fronts and beat people as they went.

As planned they came across an elementary school that two of their men had volunteered to burn to the ground while trapping as many children inside as possible.

At Bracken's order (interpreted into Arabic) this mob broke into the school and scattered to find all the children and bring them all out alive.

It took some time and three of their men did die under the collapsing building. They also found the two men who had started the fire.

As planned they got the two men to confess to arson in an attempt to kill their children. The opposition demanded that they hand over the two men. The group however decided to give out their own form of justice for this act and beat them using anything they could find, while cursing them and their families.

One of the men actually did die at the scene from the beating. The other was carried to the local authorities were he was arrested.

It was three weeks later when the man was executed for his crimes against the children.

One week after that two of the oppositions leaders came to them to thank them for saving their children. This was when Bracken was introduced as the man who got them to risk their lives to save them.

Bracken, through an interpreter, explained himself and his vision for what to do for this country.

They did not believe him but listened politely before leaving.

However Bracken's next act was to protect one of these same men's home from his own mob bent on gaining entrance and taking his wife and child and burning it to the ground.

Bracken himself was injured during the fight that came about. Bracken's mob scattered as instructed by him when the opposition's people came to help defend the home.

It was two weeks after this encounter when Bracken was given a tutor to teach him the local language.

Bracken and his closest followers where now in and beginning the conversation.

Bracken's dream of a future was beginning. Over the next several weeks Bracken was out front doing the very same things with just a little twist each time.

His closest followers which used to only be a handful now numbered in the hundreds.

Bracken now started phase two of his plan. Forcing the government to spend money on infrastructure. Making the lives of everyone better. Roads were beginning to be ripped up to install new sewer and storm drain lines. As well as new water and gas lines. Fiber optic cable for communication.

All of this was small at first but as soon as one little area was complete they moved on to the next area.

A new power plant, electrical substation and sanitary sewer stations had started construction. They would each take months if not years to complete. But Bracken made sure everyone knew about them and who it was that had made it possible for their construction.

He was learning this new language but it was slow going. It was soooo alien to him. If these people only knew what he knew. Like that was ever going to happen.

Bracken never did find out where Coonan was. He didn't even know what direction the shuttle was traveling in when they both jumped.

Since Bracken jumped last, Coonan could be in South Africa or Turkey for all he knew.

The shuttle itself probably crashed hundreds of miles from here. It could be anywhere. The Indian Ocean maybe or the Pacific. Or it may have crashed into someone's house in Germany for all he knew.

It was one of the things that pissed him off the most about this location. The isolation. Everything outside of Islam was rejected and hated with such furor. Information about them got out but nothing outside came in. No one wanted to know anything about the countries they hated so much. How were you supposed to fight them effectively if you didn't know anything about them or understand them?

Blind hatred was just stupid.

Right now he was working out of his friend's home while being tutored. When he was ready he would move to his own location and start getting this satellite TV he was hearing about. This way he could learn about his new enemy and what their strengths and weaknesses were.

Just like the "Rags" back home, there seemed to be an endless supply of idiots willing to blow themselves to hell and gone to achieve some stupid goal. He just had to get this goal to be his goal and then he could bring chaos to these countries that stood in his way.

For now he would work tirelessly on a local level then begin to work and study the geography and politics of the surrounding countries. Soon he would learn about the planet as a whole.

There had to be weaknesses he could exploit. His military may not be big now or maybe ever, but killing wasn't the only way to bring a country to its knees.

Strike where it is weak with the strength that you have available.

Yea, he just might learn to love this screwed up broken into pieces planet.


	22. Chapter 22

**CH22**

It had been a week since Alexis had dropped that bomb on Kate that one night. Alexis had only repeated once more in that time. Silently so only Kate could hear.

It still freaked Kate out but it also made her heart flip the second time she heard it.

Kate was getting stronger too, she was running up the trail to the bridge, or where the bridge used to be and then back.

Her first time she had to walk all the way back. Kate had underestimated just how far out the bridge was. She still wasn't reaching it on her runs, but she was running back now.

Rick had been glad that she had some clothes that fit her now. They weren't going to win any fashion shows but at least she didn't feel like she was wearing a giant potato bag anymore.

And Kate was enjoying having Rick take them off her at bed time too. Kate still couldn't resist him. She knew he really was real and not just someone who showed up in her dreams. Though she had noticed her dreams weren't about him making love to her anymore. He was still in them, just not about having sex with him.

Kate also noticed that where they went she went. When Alexis went out to the greenhouses Kate went with her. They would spend the time talking about any little thing that came up or nothing at all.

Rick would hop on his quad to go check his traps and move them again, and Kate would go with him sitting on the back behind him holding him close. Alternating between looking over his shoulder to see where they were going or just bury her head in his back and squeeze him.

Kate had been alone on board the ship and now found that she didn't want to be alone. Not when she had one of these two to keep her company.

They had decided it was movie night twice a week. Rick would pop the popcorn while Kate and Alexis would make the drinks.

Sitting in the middle between Rick and Alexis. Yesterday's movie night Kate was pretty sure she had missed most of the movie itself. She spent most of her time leaning against either Rick or Alexis soaking them up.

Kate didn't know why but it made her feel better. All warm and fuzzy for some reason.

And today she was hanging onto Rick everywhere he went. Even know they were sitting on the sofa while Rick typed on his laptop while Kate leaned her head up against him, satisfied to be cuddled up against him.

"What are you doing? …. I mean I know you are typing and it's for your new book, but what are you doing?" Kate was curious.

"Well right now the main character is trying to shoot her way out of a jam her and her partner have gotten themselves into." Rick explains.

"HER? Your main character is a her? I thought your main character was Derek Storm?" Kate was lost suddenly.

"He was." Rick tells her still typing.

"WAS? What happened to him?" Kate liked Storm.

"You haven't finished the last book yet have you?" Rick stops typing.

Kate had meant to start reading it but she kept spending her time with either Rick or Alexis so she never even started reading it.

"I haven't even started reading it yet. I've meant to, but I just haven't." Suddenly realizing that spending time with Rick and Alexis was more important than disappearing into Rick's book.

"Well you'll just have to finish it and find out." Rick tells her and goes back to typing.

"What did you do to him? …. Tell me." And Kate lightly punches his shoulder.

"You'll just have to go read the book and find out for yourself." Rick counters not giving in.

"You're being mean Rick." Kate pouts hoping that will work.

When he ignores her. "So who is this new character?" Kate asks.

"You'll see when I'm done." Rick tells her still typing.

"Why should I have to wait when I've got the writer right here? … Gimmee this thing." And Kate makes a play for his laptop.

Rick pulls it back and a little further out of her reach. "Oh no you don't. I'm not letting you spoil the story by you finding out who it is. You'll just have to wait until I'm done." Rick turns a little from her.

Kate decides another ploy is required. "Rick, tell me who it is." And starts running her hands over his body to entice him to tell her.

"Oh you're going to have to do a lot better than that. And the answer is no." Rick tells her.

Kate moves one of her hands to a spot just where his thigh meets his hip bone just barely missing stroking him. "Tell me Rick."

"Absolutely not. I'm not ruining the surprise of you finding out who it is when you read it. I love you too much for that to happen." Rick freezes. He had noticed that he said the three magic words. They escaped from his mouth before he even knew it.

Kate however seems to have missed it. "I love you too." Kate jumps back and slaps her hands over her mouth. How did that get out? Did she actually just say that? This isn't possible. Is it?

Kate stares at Rick with a totally shocked freaking out look.

Rick is looking at her with an equally shocked and freaking out look.

Then Rick does the only thing he can think of. Setting down his laptop on the sofa beside him he pulls Kate in to him and kisses her.

Kate is too shocked at herself to kiss him back instantly, but soon she is kissing him back.

Breaking from the kiss. "Ice cream?" Rick asks. Trying to change the subject and get his mind off of those three little words.

Kate nods her head. It sounded like a good idea to her. Anything to get her mind off of what she just said.

Rick gets up and heads for the kitchen pulling Kate up with him betting letting go of her after she is up.

As she watches him head for the kitchen to get the ice cream. WAIT? Did he just say he loved me?

Kate is now following him on auto pilot and sits at the counter of the kitchen watching Rick scoop out some ice cream into bowls.

They sit together at the counter eating their ice cream silently. Each one taking quick glances at the other. Both are looking for signs of 'Did he/she mean it?'

'Did I mean it?'

Kate has eaten her ice cream faster than Rick and is done first. Setting her empty bowl on the counter. "I'm going to go find Alexis and let you get back to writing." And Kate practically sprints for the back door.

Once outside she backs up against the house and can feel her heart pounding in her chest. Kate has never been this scared before in her life. Well she has been scared before, just not this kind of scared.

Maybe Alexis can distract her from her thoughts.

Rick has made it back to the sofa after rinsing out the bowls. However he is just sitting there and not typing. Hasn't even tried to pick his laptop up.

Kate has found Alexis in one of the greenhouses. She was taking plants out or trays and putting them into bigger pots. "Hi Kate." Alexis was happy to see her.

Kate has moved over to step next to Alexis but is just standing there. "You want to, …. Help?" Alexis has spotted the blank look on her face.

Alexis stops what she is doing. "Kate, are you ok? Something wrong?" Alexis does her best to look her over for a sign of what the problem is.

Alexis reaches out a hand and touches Kate. "Kate?"

Kate suddenly wakes up and looks at Alexis who is looking at her with a concerned face.

Kate grabs Alexis's arm and starts dragging her out of the greenhouse. "We need to talk."

Alexis was taken off balance at first and stumbles after Kate being dragged by her. They are soon on the other side of the outhouses when Kate finally stops. Where they can't be seen from the house.

Alexis gives Kate her best 'What is going on?' look.

Kate launches into everything that took place on the sofa. About how Rick said I love you and how Kate said I love you too.

Alexis just squeals and launches herself into Kate and wraps her arms around her and holds her tight. "You love dad, don't you?"

"Alexis, I don't know. It's all so, …. It's complicated." Kate tries to take it all back.

Alexis isn't listening to any of it. "You love dad, don't you?"

Kate stands there and stares at Alexis who herself has already told Kate she loves her, at least twice now. And Kate nods her head, resigned to her fate.

Alexis just squeals again and hugs Kate. Now Kate grabs Kate's hand and starts dragging her back to the house.

Part way there. "Where are we going?" Kate asks stumbling along behind Alexis.

"Back to the house to find dad, so you can tell him you love him." Alexis explains.

Kate tries to stop but fails. "Oh no Alexis, this is not a good idea." Kate isn't so sure about this plan.

Alexis has got Kate at the patio door into the house. "You're in love with dad, now go in there and tell him. He's already told you. Now go." And Alexis shoves Kate.

"Alexis I don't think, …." Kate shuts up when she sees the look on Alexis's face.

"My name is PUMPKIN! …. Now GO!" And Alexis gives Kate a little harder shove.

Kate's heart starts pounding. Having Alexis bring up the pet name both Rick and now her have been using lately had really gotten it going.

Kate looks at Alexis and can see her glaring at her.

Kate turns and opens the door and steps inside. Even from here she can see Rick sitting on the sofa. Kate was ready to explode. Kate had been calling Alexis, Pumpkin a lot the last few days.

Was she in love with Alexis AND Rick?

Kate started walking for the sofa, turning into a puddle of goo with every step. By the time she reached the sofa Kate literally fell onto it.

Rick had watched her since he noticed her from the side of the sofa. Even now he was looking at her with a mixture of love and fear.

"Rick." Kate whispers out. However Rick grabs a hold of her and holds her tight. Rick can feel her shaking. Hell he was shaking.

Pulling back. "You'll tell me again when you are sure you mean it. … Until then just know that I'll be falling in love with you more each day." Rick tells her. Then he kisses her.

Kate is still shaking after Rick breaks from the kiss. "Until then, no you can't read it."

Kate starts laughing having had Rick break the spell she was under. "Rick?"

"When you are ready Kate. When we are both ready." And gives her a quick kiss. Then grabs his laptop and goes up to the bedroom to go back to writing.

Kate sits there stunned after Rick leaves. Did she REALLY love him? Where they just words she used? Kate knew she wanted to be near him. Always. The man who lived in her dreams was real and she was really making love to him each night. Her dreams were real!

Kate didn't understand how this was possible. How could her dreams be of a real person. She didn't know his name in her dream. And in her dream she can recall there was someone who interrupted them from time to time. Was that Alexis.

Kate never saw Alexis in her dreams of him.

Suddenly she wished she had someone to talk to about all this. The pain of missing her mom suddenly hit her again. If she was here her mom would explain it to her. Now she had to figure it out on her own.

There were so many variables. Alexis was sweet and if Rick and her were together what did that make Kate? Alexis's mom? But Alexis already has a mom. Granted one Kate wanted to drop kick into the next solar system. Did that alone tell Kate something?

She had never lived here. Didn't know hardly anything about what it would take to live here. Kate sure as hell wasn't going to just sit around doing nothing the rest of her life. She needed a job, but what? Rick had mentioned a couple of options but what did those jobs mean really?

Kate had never driven a car on this planet. Could Rick teach her using the car they had? But they said they were worried about using too much gasoline since they couldn't get more with the bridge being gone.

Even just getting out of here seemed to rely on Rick's mom noticing they are not back yet and doing something about it. Leaving her life to someone she doesn't even know does not sit well with Kate.

However Kate wasn't losing Rick. She just couldn't. Even the thought of losing him upset her greatly. Was it because she was in love with him? Was she in love with the dream of him and now that he was real, …. now what?

"Oh mom, I wish you were here. Please tell me what to do. I need to know what to do." Kate can't help but for tears to run down her face.


	23. Chapter 23

**CH23**

It had been a week since Rick and Kate had said 'I love you' to each other. In that time neither had said it again or even brought it up.

However Kate was still calling Alexis pumpkin from time to time. Kate noticed that she never consciously said it. It was only a word she used instead of using her name. However it came out of her mouth so easily.

Kate also noticed that Alexis was telling her that she loved her more often. Alexis still wasn't telling her this in ear shot of her dad. Still she was saying it more often lately. And it made Kate glow a little more each time she did.

Kate was still spending all her time with one or the other. Helping Alexis in the greenhouses or out with Rick checking his traps.

Kate had finally made it to the bridge that wasn't there anymore, but she couldn't run back yet.

And Kate's air cast came off this week. Kate was free! She still had to be careful with her arm since it was still a little tender but it felt good to lose the cast.

Kate was even helping to clean the house and do laundry.

The last trip out to check the traps Kate had talked Rick into letting her drive. It had been a blast! Kate could see why Alexis liked them so much. Plus it didn't hurt to have Rick's arms wrapped around her during the ride.

It was going to be the middle of summer soon in a couple of weeks. They had all noticed that it was getting warmer outside and staying warmer at night.

Rick was worried about using too much propane to turn on the A/C so they were going to have to tuff it out using fans since power wasn't a problem. It was renewable.

It was this week that they set up the pool that Alexis had told her about. Alexis had been right. The water from the stream was really cold still so she had to wait for the solar cover on the pool to warm up the water before she could use it.

Kate only had her one bra and her make shift thongs to wear for a swimsuit. Kate didn't want to shock Alexis by skinny dipping in the pool.

Rick wanted to know if they wanted to go camping for four days while they waited for the pool water to warm up.

Alexis was on board immediately and raced upstairs to start packing. "Where are we going?" Kate asks.

"Well as you know the stream is on that side of our little valley. On the other side there is still more woods. A little ways into the woods is this little clearing. Put the campfire out in the middle and you can sit or lie down and stare up into the night sky.

There is also this little stream, even smaller than ours that we get water from. Sandy may have changed that for a little while but it's probably back to being a little stream again. Make sure to use purifiers and it's our drinking water." Rick explains.

"Bathroom?" Kate asks.

"Oh there are lots of them all over." Rick tells her.

"Really!" Not sure she believes him.

"Oh yea, just pick your own personal bush or tree and your all set." Rick grins at her.

Kate's face instantly drops. No bathroom? This was sounding like it was going to suck big time.

Rick went outside and came back in with the first responder backpack. "Come on Kate we need to pack." And Rick takes Kate's hand and pulls her upstairs to their bedroom.

"Here empty this onto the bed and pack it with what you want to take. Only about half full. We still need to put food in it." Rick tells her.

Rick pulls out his backpack and starts packing. Then they both go downstairs and find Alexis in the kitchen packing food. Rick drops his bag. "Be right back."

A little later Rick is back carrying two tents, two sleeping bags and two ground cloths. Then he goes back outside.

A little later Rick is back carrying lights and another bag.

"What's all this stuff?" Kate asks never having gone camping like this before.

"Those two are the tents. Those two are the sleeping bags. A pair of ground cloths for the tent. The bag holds a small portable shovel, toilet paper, other toiletries like tooth brushes and one of the level 1 first aid kits." Rick explains while Alexis is packing food for everyone.

"Where do I sleep?" Kate heard two an awful lot.

"My tent is big enough to hold three people and my sleeping bag is big enough to hold two adults." Rick explains.

"It's our original sleeping bag from when I was little. I shared it with dad. …. You'll like it." Alexis is grinning knowing with two adults in it there wouldn't be room to put a piece of paper between the two.

With a few bungee cords Kate had her backpack on and was carrying Alexis's tent and sleeping bag. Rick took the other tent and sleeping bag

Kate had to carry her water bottle while Alexis and Rick had a pocket in their backpack to carry theirs.

They started their trek to the first campsite.

"If I die in a combat zone, Box me up and send me home." Kate chants out.

"If my chute don't open wide, I got another one by my side." Rick responds.

"I know a girl all dressed in black, she makes her living on her back." Kate responds back.

"See that lady from the south? She makes her living with her mouth." Rick responds back.

"I don't know, but it's been said, Air Force wings are made of lead." Kate responds back.

"I don't know, but I've been told, Navy wings are made of gold." Rick responds back.

"From a horse named blue to a big HumVee, we'll still PT in the Academy." Kate responds back running out of verses.

"I don't know, but I've been told, Stainless Steel is hard to fold." Rick responds back also running out of verses.

"Got a letter in the mail, go to war or go to jail, I packed my bags and kissed my wife, headed for the army life, told my daughter not to cry, but I had tears in my eyes, tell my darlin' not to cry, cuz I'll never say goodbye." Kate left out some of it for Alexis.

Rick steps over to Kate and raises one of her hands high. "Winner and still Champion. The sexy and adorable Kate Beckett." Getting Alexis to clap her hands and whistle.

Kate grins and blushes a nice crimson color. So far this little trip was starting out to be fun. Kate was liking it.

They traveled the entire day. "We'll be there just a little after morning." Rick tells her.

Kate had never set up a tent before so she watched the well-oiled machine of Alexis and Rick set up camp. She could however help search for firewood for the night.

Once the fire was going they started looking for logs to sit on around the fire.

"What do we eat" Kate asked. Used to eating at home. And it felt like home to her now so the word didn't scare her.

"Kabobs. …. Here is your skewer and this holds the meat and this one holds the vegetables. You just pierce a piece with your skewer, then the next until you fill it." Alexis tells her and then gives her an example.

"Then you place it over the fire using the sticks that have been set up. Turning it occasionally." Alexis again gave an example.

After they were done cooking. " Then you pull them off one at a time after it cools and eat them." Alexis blew on the first piece just to be sure and pulled it off and popped it in her mouth.

Kate followed her example and had soon finished. "It's good, I've never had anything like it."

"Plus we have dessert." Alexis grins.

Kate just looked at her wondering what was next.

"Smores." Alexis tells her.

Kate grabs her heart and stops breathing. "Chocolate!" Kate barely got out.

Kate roasted her marshmallow, squished it and a piece of chocolate between graham cracker and had it gone in no time. "Hhhmmmm, chocolate." Kate was instantly relaxed.

Kate could hear words in the background but it all went in one ear and out the other.

Soon however Kate was back with them and joined in the meaningless conversation. It was fun. It was stress free and she got to listen to Rick and Alexis interact with each other.

Suddenly Kate wished she could talk to Alexis that way. However she knew Rick and Alexis had years of history together. Kate was a newbie compared to them.

Next thing Kate knew she was hearing Alexis say goodnight. "Goodnight Kate." And as Alexis passes Kate on the way to her tent. "I love you." Alexis a little more than whispers directly into her ear.

Kate doesn't see Rick react however. "Goodnight Alexis." Kate could feel it on the end of her tongue but she didn't say it. "I love you too".

Rick moved over to sit next to her. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine." Kate tells him.

"Kate?" Rick doesn't believe her.

"I'm fine." Kate tries again. Rick however just glares at her.

Kate sighs. "I'm just not used to this kind of quiet. My mind dreams of scenarios of things that could happen. Usually it deals with work. What could I be doing? Who should I be investigating? But none of that happens here."

"Then I guess we'll just have to give your mind something to think about." Rick tells her.

Kate gives him a 'How are you going to accomplish that?' look. When Rick suddenly kisses her. Then kisses her again.

They are both soon making out seriously and soon add wandering hands.

It was working too. Kate's mind was leaving her as a lot of her blood went south and she could feel the same had happened to Rick.

Kate loved that she could have this kind of effect on him, and he had initiated it this time. Which was becoming a little more common lately. Kate didn't have to start anything when she wanted him. He seemed to know when she wanted him.

It took a little work but Kate was able to regain her ability to think. "Rick, I don't have a pillow to scream into. Unless you want Alexis to hear me we need to stop."

Rick stopped working on Kate's neck and switched to nibbling on her ear. "What if I don't want to stop?" Rick didn't really either.

"I don't want you to either, but if you don't I'm going to take you right here and now and give Alexis a clear view of what we've been doing for untold weeks now." Kate didn't stop what she was doing however. Kate wanted him.

Rick stops nibbling on her ear and straightens up. "Fine have it your way. But when we are alone again I'm ravishing you till neither of us can walk." Rick whispers into her ear.

Kate removes her hands and places them on either side of his head. "I look forward to it." Kate tells him and then lightly kisses him.

Kate looks into his eyes while still holding his head. "Rick, …." Kate was close, really close. But she just couldn't say it. And a tear escaped and rolled down her cheek.

"You'll tell me when you're ready Kate. And I'll be here when you do. I'm not going anywhere." Rick whispers into her lips which were still just a fraction away.

Kate grabbed him and wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. With new tears falling Kate knew she loved him. If she was honest with herself she had loved him before she even found out he was real.

Now she just had to get the words to come out.

"Come on let's get some sleep." Rick asks her.

Kate nods and let's go of Rick reluctantly. And they move to inside the tent leaving the fire to burn itself out.

They both stripped down to underwear and Rick slid into the sleeping bag.

Kate was ready. "You sure there is room for me in this thing?" Kate wasn't so sure.

"Yup, come on just slide right in feet first." Rick tells her.

Kate shrugs her shoulders thinking he's nuts but willing to give it a try.

It took a little work but soon she was all the way in and soon found the only way they were both going to fit was if Kate was practically sleeping ON Rick.

"Comfy?" Rick asked her.

"I'm not sure comfy is the word I would use. It sure is Cozy though."

"We've slept like this back at the house in bed countless times." Rick reminds her.

"Yes, but that was a bed. This is a bag lying on the ground." Kate counters.

"Yes, but I'm the one of the ground. You are on top of me as usual." Rick points out.

Kate giggles knowing he is right. "And we have to do this for the next four days. I could get used to this." Kate could feel his naked skin over all parts of hers. It was comforting as usual.

Kate had grown to love having him naked against her. Kate found her mind would shut down easily when he was close like this. She always slept the night through without any trouble.

Her dreams of him were now more domestic with him. There was a home somewhere. It was large and open inside. Almost no walls. But she could never seem to see the outside of it.

The kitchen was huge and colorful. And there were stairs somewhere. The whole place seemed big somehow. Kate could never seem to see it clearly though. But she did see Alexis there. Actually she saw Alexis a lot in this house. Wait, it wasn't a house. It was something else. Kate just couldn't see it.

Kate woke in the morning and found herself still on Rick using him as a pillow. And she could smell him easily. Kate loved his smell and his taste when she kissed him deeply.

Kate just laid there reflecting on him. He acted like a kid sometimes and a serious adult others. He seemed to find fun in a lot of stupid little things that Kate knew she would have ignored before she met him. The real him.

And his dedication to Alexis was unquestioned.

Kate layed her head back down on his chest. She loved him and she knew it. She also knew she would do anything for Alexis too.

However she couldn't help but worry about what was going to happen when they finally left here.

They had both told her that she was going home with them, but what was she going to do when she got there?

Then she noticed that Rick was awake. Lifting her head up. "Hi." Kate whispers just inches from his lips.

"Hi. …. ready to get up and get moving?" Rick asks her.

"Yea, let me figure out how to shimmy myself out of this thing." Kate finally works her way out and starts dressing.

Rick has it easier now that there is more space and starts dressing too.

Once they are both outside they find Alexis was already up and was taking down her tent.

"Hi pumpkin, sleep well." Rick asks her.

"It was great dad. I'll be packed in a minute." Alexis tells him.

"Take your time. I gotta find a tree somewhere." Rick really needed to go.

"Me too." Kate tells them.

Rick heads off to find the perfect tree.

"Try that way Kate, it's where I went when I got up." Alexis points.

"Thanks pumpkin." Kate casually answers and heads off in that direction.

Both are back soon and have everything packed. "We'll eat lunch when we reach the site in a couple of hours." Rick tells Kate.

They reach the side without any trouble. Sure enough there was this little open valley with a tiny stream off to one side. Kate could see where countless campfires had been previously.

It was lovely. It reminded her of a mini location of where the house was they had just left.

Kate helped set up the tents and started searching for wood for the campfire. Then helped Alexis with lunch.

Suddenly Kate felt the need and she had to. Kate stopped and suddenly took Alexis in her arms and hugged her. Then kissed her cheek. Then went back to helping with lunch.

Kate was close, oh so close. She could feel it.

Alexis just starred at Kate wondering what that was about. But she smiled and went back to fixing lunch not saying a word. Alexis wasn't going to try and get Kate to say something she didn't want to or wasn't ready to.

Alexis was close to telling Kate something too. But was way too scared it would freak her out if she did. So Alexis waited. They were going to be together for months to come unless someone suddenly built a bridge so they could leave.


	24. Chapter 24

**CH24**

Kate had, had fun all day long. Even she didn't believe it. Being way out here doing nothing had seemed beyond boring to her.

While she had done some work, Kate had spent most of the day talking. Rick and Alexis had gotten her talking.

Kate talked about where she was born, what school she went to when she was young, who her first boyfriend crush was. Countless things.

None of it was recent so Kate didn't mind talking about it. Kate even told them about her master or teacher.

"You know Karate?" Alexis was in awe.

Kate didn't know the word so Rick and Alexis had to explain it to her. Kate agreed that it sounded similar. And yes, she did know how to fight. She knew how to handle men several pounds heavier than her.

"You could beat up dad." Alexis had teased her dad.

Now Kate was sliding back into the sleeping bag next to Rick. Maybe more accurately, on Rick.

Kate soon found herself with Rick's arms wrapped around her. "You having fun?" Rick whispered to the top of her head.

"Hhhmmm, Yes actually. I haven't remembered when I was young for a long time. No one took any interest before. Not like you two." Kate tells him still amazed.

"I think Alexis learned a lot today. She is really taken with you." Rick had noticed that Alexis had spent the whole day hovering around Kate, asking most of the questions.

"She is amazing Rick, you've done good work with her. She's sweet." Kate confides.

"I'm not sure how much credit I can take. I'm not sure she would do anything bad even if I threatened her to. She just seems to know what's right and what's wrong." Rick doesn't take credit for who Alexis is.

"I do know that she wants you around. I'm not sure what she expects from you, but she is attached to you like no one else I've ever seen." Rick tells her.

"Rick, how many women has she been exposed to?" Kate asks a loaded question. How many women have you been involved with and how many of them have been involved with Alexis?

"I haven't brought any of my dates home for Alexis to meet. None of them made it to a second date." Rick tells her.

Kate lifts her head to look at him with a shocked and maybe concerned face. "How long has it been?"

"There have been a couple of one night stands. One was in a hotel room. The other was at her place. The last one was maybe three years ago, maybe." Rick confides.

Kate laid her head back down on his chest. He had just made her special. Kate kissed his chest and let her ear listen to his heartbeat.

Neither talked again and let sleep take them.

Kate woke first and ended up waking Rick while she was trying to get up, dressed and outside. She had to pee and she had to do it now.

Rick had soon joined her up and outside and went to find his personal tree.

Together they took down their tents and packed everything up. Kate was learning to pack out what you pack in. The only thing that showed they had been there was the campfire.

Rick was hiking back to the house behind Alexis and Kate. He was too far away to hear what they were saying but it was obvious they were talking about something. Or maybe multiple something's.

They were forced to camp again that night. They would make it home after a couple of hours in the morning.

Kate was lying on top of Rick again wrapped up inside their sleeping bag. "What were you and Alexis talking about?"

"Why, you think we were talking about you?" Kate whispers into his chest, smiling.

'Why, were you?" Rick counters.

Kate smiles into his chest and then kisses it. "Alexis wanted to know about the schools I went to and the classes I took. We ended up comparing our experiences in school around her age." Kate tells him.

"So you didn't talk about me." Rick tries to sound like he's pouting.

Kate giggles into his chest. "No love we weren't talking about you. Your secrets are still safe." Kate teases.

"Oh I have lots of secrets." Rick teases back.

"And you're going to tell me all of them." Kate tells him grinning into his chest.

"You think so do you?" Rick challenges.

"Oh I know you will." Kate responds and reaches down and grabs his crotch.

Rick yelps lightly. "You wouldn't." Rick challenges thinking she wouldn't stoop that low.

Kate releases him. "You're right, I wouldn't. I'll just wait until I'm out of this cotton trap. Then I'll put you on the ground and try and get your toes where your ears are. You'll tell me everything you know." Kate grins into his chest.

Rick swallows heavily and remains silent. Rick figures he has an ace in the hole with Alexis. Any secret he wants out of Kate he'll just ask Alexis.

The rest of the trip was easy. They made it to the house and unpacked. Then they each took a shower, one by one. Rick was last, he knew the ladies would want to be clean.

Kate was sitting between Rick and Alexis eating lunch. She could still smell Rick when she leaned into him, barely. Mostly he smelled like soap now.

For the last three days he smelled like Rick only stronger. She liked his clean smell but was missing that powerful smell of Rick that she got while sleeping on him in the sleeping bag.

It was now two weeks later:

Kate was outside lounging in the pool again. It was like lying in a giant bathtub, just without really hot water and bubbles.

Kate felt the water move and opened her eyes. "Hi pumpkin how are you?" Kate asked Alexis who was just settling in wearing her one piece swim suit.

Then suddenly Kate saw a face that troubled her. "Is everything all right?" Kate sat up straighter.

Alexis just nodded.

Kate didn't think so, so she moved over and looked into Alexis's eyes. Kate didn't like what she saw so she wrapped her arms around Alexis and held her tight.

"Tell me what's wrong pumpkin. I can't help if you don't tell me what it is." Kate whispers into the side of her head.

Alexis can't, it would freak Kate out and it might ruin everything.

Alexis just shakes her head and then frees herself from Kate's arms and hops out of the pool and runs for the house.

Kate is shocked. Alexis was running from her. Something was really wrong. Time to find out what.

Kate got out of the pool and grabbed her towel, dried herself a little then wrapped it around herself and went inside.

Not finding Alexis on the main floor she went up the stairs to Alexis's closed bedroom door. Knocking on it. "Alexis sweetie what's wrong?" Kate hadn't seen Rick downstairs either.

Rick had mentioned something about checking his traps today and moving them to a new location but Kate had been soaking in the pool at the time and wasn't really listening.

"Sweetie please talk to me." Kate tried the door and found it was unlocked. Though she didn't really know if it could be locked.

Kate saw Alexis sitting on her bed up against the headboard, legs in her chest and her arms wrapped around her legs, still in her swimsuit.

Kate moved over and sat on the edge of the bed. Kate could see that she had been or still was crying. "Pumpkin what's wrong? Please talk to me." Kate reached out to touch her.

The second Kate made contact Alexis uncoiled and launched herself into Kate.

Kate could feel her shaking and the crying only intensified.

Kate hugged her and kissed the side of her head and rubbed circles on her back. "Pumpkin what's the matter? You can tell me."

Kate however can feel Alexis shake her head. She wasn't going to talk.

Then a thought hit her. Alexis was kind of young still but still it was possible. "Are you bleeding?" Kate asks.

Kate can feel Alexis shake her head. Kate suddenly felt better. Two women with periods and limited resources would be a problem. "You know you will someday right?" Kate wanted to know what she knew about it.

Kate could feel Alexis nod her head, but that's all she got.

Kate had, had enough of this guessing game Alexis was going to talk to her if it took all night. Kate pulled Alexis away from her and put her hands on both sides of her head. "Please pumpkin, tell me what's wrong." Kate put all the pleading she could into her eyes hoping Alexis would talk to her.

Alexis opened her mouth then closed it again. Kate decided a kiss to her forehead might loosen her tongue. Then Kate stared into her eyes and waited.

"Can, …. can I, ….." Alexis stopped.

"Can you what sweetie?" Kate searches her face for a clue with her eyes.

"Can I, …. can I call you mom?" Alexis whispers out deftly afraid of what Kate will say.

Kate stops breathing and is pretty sure her heart has stopped beating too. MOM!?

Kate opens and closes her mouth a few times not sure just what to say. "Alexis you already have a mother." Kate finally gets out.

A mother Kate would dearly love to rip limb from limb, but still Alexis already has a mother.

"I know, but she's not mom. She's not here and never has been, and probably never will be." Alexis looks so sad in Kate's eyes.

"But you are, and I love you. And you go everywhere I go. You're interested in the things I do. And you worry about me missing a year of school. Mother wouldn't do any of those things." Alexis tries to list off her reasons.

"She may be my mother, but you're my mom. You're the one who worries about me, takes care of me. And I think you love dad, even if you won't tell him." Alexis adds more items to her list of reasons.

Kate had feared something was wrong with Alexis, this however hadn't been one of them. However all of Alexis's reasons were correct. But she was here because she was stuck here, not because she chose to be here.

Though Kate knew she hadn't fought to get away from here very hard. In fact she hadn't tried at all. Kate had wanted to stay close to Rick and Alexis.

But be a mom? Kate could see the fear in Alexis's eyes. Kate knew Alexis was very afraid she would reject her. Kate already knew that wasn't going to happen. Kate wanted Rick and that meant Alexis came with the package, and that was fine.

But MOM!?

Kate thought up a compromise. "How about when I can finally tell Rick and you that I love you and mean it, then you can call me mom. How's that?" Kate hoped it would satisfy her.

Alexis squealed and grabbed Kate and hugged her for all she was worth. "Thanks mom. I mean Kate." Alexis whispered into her ear.

Kate however could feel her heart flip and stop beating for a moment. Alexis had called her, mom.

Kate's world has just kept changing and changing. She used to be all alone, now suddenly she almost has a family.

"Let's not tell your father about this just yet. Can we keep it our little secret for now?" Kate didn't need any more pressure or teasing from Rick.

Alexis nods her head, not sure she can keep from calling Kate mom again.

"Good, then how about we go back out to the pool and work on our suntan?" Kate offers.

Alexis nods her head enthusiastically. Kate hadn't freaked out and rejected her like Alexis feared she would.

They walked out to the pool hand in hand the whole way from Alexis's bedroom.

Kate was sitting on one side while Alexis sat on the opposite side from Kate.

Kate would occasionally open her eyes to spy on Alexis who was just sitting there staring at Kate.

Finally Kate couldn't take it anymore. "Ok, come on." And Kate raised her arms out to Alexis. Who promptly launched herself across the pool into them. Then they just sat there basking in the water soaking up the sun holding onto each other.

Alexis was loving it and Kate was getting to like it too.

Rick was back and didn't find anyone inside. He did however have two rabbits he had to do something with. So he prepared one of them for dinner tonight and prepared a marinade for the other and stuffed him into the refrigerator for tomorrow.

However he needed some greens and vegetables to complete dinner, so he went in search of Kate and Alexis.

He started with the greenhouses since Alexis always seemed to be in one of them and Kate had taken to helping her. But they were both empty.

Stepping out onto the back patio he made out one head in the pool. Stepping over to the pool he found them arm in arm and asleep. And they were both RED!

Since he was sure anything he touched was going to hurt he yanked their hair to wake them up. Getting a response. "Hi you two lobsters. Dinner will be ready soon but I need some greens and vegetables if you don't mind." Rick asks of Alexis.

"You two should go upstairs and wash." Rick walks away and goes back inside.

Kate and Alexis don't notice anything but get out of the pool and head upstairs. Kate was first into the bathroom. "Awwwww, Alexis!" Kate screams out.

Alexis runs into the bathroom and finds Kate standing in front of the mirror with a look of horror on her face.

Alexis steps up next to Kate and looks into the mirror to see what she sees. "Awwww!" Alexis screams out. "We're burnt to a crisp!" Alexis is yelling now.

Rick was down in the kitchen doing some more prep for dinner. He could hear them screaming and he was grinning. Those two were going to be in a lot of pain. Then his grin faded. They were going to take him with them he just knew it.

"DAD?" Alexis moved over to the edge of her bedroom that looked out over the floor below.

"The sun burn lotion is in the cabinet up there somewhere." Rick has already anticipated the question.

"Thanks dad."

Alexis was the first one down and she looked pink. She was burnt red underneath all that white sun burn cream.

"I need some greens and vegetables to finish dinner with Pumpkin." Rick tells her.

"I'll get it dad." And Alexis went outside to a greenhouse. She was walking fine now but he was convinced she would be walking like the monster in Frankenstein in no time. And then she would start to peel in a few days. Life was going to be hell for all of them soon, Rick just knew it.

Kate was the next one down and she looked like a mirror of Alexis. Rick was doing his best not to laugh.

"You laugh Rick and I'm taking you with me." Kate threatens him.

Rick is still smiling while he uses his finger to beckon her closer. As soon as she is in range he leans in and gives her a quick kiss. "I figure I should get my kiss in now, because by tomorrow even that t-shirt you are wearing is going to hurt. Cream or no cream." Rick tells her.

Kate suddenly deflates. She had been enjoying the pool but she wasn't going to enjoy the pain that was coming. Her only solace was that she was going to make Rick suffer with her.


	25. Chapter 25

**CH25**

It was two weeks later:

It was a week in hell as far as Rick was concerned. Kate had taken out some of her pain on him and then apologized later for being so mean to him.

Both Rick and Kate however had another reason to hate that week from hell. That sunburn and then the peeling had meant anything that touched her skin had caused pain. So they hadn't made love to each other for a whole week.

However they were making up for lost time this last week. They were both coming up with things for Alexis to do to get her out of the house or get them out of the house.

Rick had come up with one idea. He wanted to go out and inspect the pipe and pump of their main water supply. So he gathered up a blanket, put a lunch together and took Kate out there on his quad.

After checking the pipe inlet and the pump housing and looking at the stream that looked more like the stream of old.

Then they laid out the blanket to have their lunch on. They were soon feeding each other. Which switched to kissing instead of eating. Soon they were both naked out in the middle of nowhere making love to each other.

Kate decided they were far enough out that she could totally let go and scream without worrying if Alexis could hear her.

Kate was in a much better mood when they got back to the house. Kate floated out to the greenhouse to help Alexis and spend some time with just her.

"Have fun inspecting the water pipe?" Alexis asks her.

"It was fine. It was, … informative." Kate lies thru her teeth.

"And relaxing it would appear." Alexis adds. Getting Kate to instantly blush.

"I'm still amazed how good you are out here. If I was doing this alone everything would be dead by now." Kate confides, changing the subject.

"It's not that hard. I'm sure you would do fine." Alexis counters.

"Says the lady who can bring back the dead." Kate teases.

Their days had gone back to normal. Kate was letting Rick type while she spent time with Alexis. Kate had even talked Alexis into going running with her, though Kate was going to have to stop that soon. Kate was still wearing the same shoes she was wearing on board ship, and they were beginning to fall apart on her.

Then one day Kate came into the living room to find Rick typing. Kate kicked him in the shin to get his attention.

"OWE! What was that for?" Rick yelled at her.

"You killed Derek Storm! Why did you kill him?" Kate stands over him with her arms crossed glaring at him.

"Yea and it was messy too." Rick grins back.

"RICK!?" Kate wants an answer.

"Fine have it your way. I killed him because I was bored with him. No matter what I did with him it was the same thing over and over again. I knew exactly what he was going to do. What was going to happen, and if I did so where the readers.

I wanted something fresh, something new, someone different. So he had to die, and I made it messy to make it permanent. You should have heard my publisher, I thought she was going to have a heart attack right after she killed me." Rick tells her sounding serious.

"This new character of yours?" Kate remembers. "Who is it Rick?"

"Oh no, not until I'm done." Rick tells her again.

Kate starts unbuttoning one of his shirts that she is wearing. Kate has gotten all of the buttons undone and Rick can tell she isn't wearing her one and only bra underneath. Something that he has gotten used to over the weeks, months and put to good use countless times.

Kate had just started to take it off one of her shoulders. "Rick, tell me who it is."

"Kate have you seen, …." As Alexis comes in through the back door. "Uhmmm, I'll find it myself." And Alexis retreats back outside.

Rick has started laughing while Kate buttons her shirt back up with a face almost as red as when she had her sunburn.

"It's not funny Rick." Kate tries to kick him but he moved so she misses him.

"Your right honey, it's not funny. … It was hilarious!" Rick goes back to laughing.

"Aaughh." And Kate runs off to find Alexis.

"Pumpkin?" Kate catches up with her.

"Hi Kate." Alexis answers looking bashful a little.

"Pumpkin about just now, ….." Kate is turning red.

"It's ok mom, … Kate. I've known what you and dad have been doing for months now." Alexis confides.

"Pumpkin?" Kate is shocked. Well at least a little shocked. After all she has been kissing Rick right in front of her for months now.

"You've been screaming into your pillow for quite a while." Alexis drops a bomb on her.

Kate slaps her hands over her mouth. Kate moves over and wraps her arms around Alexis. "Oh Alexis, I'm so sorry." Kate squeezes her tight.

"It's ok Kate, I know you love him. And it's nice to know someone loves dad. He doesn't have to feel lonely and date women he won't bring home to meet me." Alexis tells Kate her inner secret wish for her dad.

Kate squeezes Alexis even tighter. "Oh pumpkin." Teh kissed the top of her head Kate loved her and she knew it, now she just needed to find a way to tell her.

Kate kissed the top of her head. "You need my help with something?" Kate asked changing the subject.

Alexis shook her head. "I'm fine, I'm just moving plants into bigger pots so they can grow. We'll have a lot of fresh stuff next week." Alexis tells her.

"That's great Pumpkin, I'm proud of you. You're really good at this. Have you thought of following through with this and do something like this for a living?

Conservation Scientist or Forester? Maybe Landscape Architect? Agricultural Scientist? Botanist? Park Ranger?" Kate offers what comes to mind.

"Would you help me?" Alexis asks her.

"Of course pumpkin. Anything. You know that. If we get Lucy plugged in she can help you too. She knows a lot." Kate tells her honestly.

Alexis hugs Kate happy that she was willing to help her. Her mother would never even consider doing this for her. "Thanks mom, I mean Kate."

"You're welcome pumpkin, I'm happy to help. Always." Kate tells her. "I'm going to go see if your dad is ready to start cooking. I don't know about you but I'm hungry."

Kate kisses the top of Alexis's head before she leaves. Kate was smiling. Alexis knew her and Rick were making love to each other and didn't care. In fact she was happy about it.

This was amazing!

It was now three weeks later:

They were now almost two weeks late. Rick and Alexis should have been back in town days ago. Now it was a question of what was going to happen.

Kate was the last one downstairs this morning. "Breakfast?" Kate asked.

"We've still got eggs so I was thinking omelets with fresh fruit. Alexis's green thumb has gotten us more fresh fruit and vegetables than we know what to do with." Rick tells her proud of his daughter.

"You're cooking and her genius, I'll take it." Kate was sold.

"We need to drain the pool and pack it away. It's going to start to get cold soon." Rick tells them while eating.

"Can we put in a heated pool next year?" Kate asks.

Alexis heard that and perks up. Kate was talking about being here next summer!

"We'll talk." Rick tells her.

"I need to take the quad and go move the traps, we haven't gotten much lately. I'm thinking way out front towards our missing bridge." Rick tells them.

"Alexis and I will take the pool while you go move your traps." Kate offers.

Kate and Alexis had the pool drained already before they saw and heard Rick leave out into the valley to go get his traps.

It took Rick a little while since his traps were far out into the woods now.

Kate and Alexis were done with the pool when they heard his quad come back to the house and go around it and head down the trail out front.

Kate had made it out front and saw him disappear down the trail.

Kate had, had her period just the other day so they hadn't made love the last 3 days and she was missing him as she watched him disappear. Some of her flows had been heavy and she was running low on protection.

Her stem was also going to stop working soon, and Rick hadn't brought condoms with him. At the rate they made love to each other she was going to end up pregnant soon.

Kate was standing there reflecting on the future when she saw something red streak up in the sky far out in front of her. It barely made it above the trees then fell back down.

Kate ran back inside. "ALEXIS!"

Kate ran out to the back patio. "ALEXIS!" Kate saw her step out of one of the greenhouses.

Kate ran over and grabbed her. "Come on, I need you to see something." And Kate dragged her back out front.

"What mom, … I mean Kate." Alexis mentally kicked herself again.

Kate just hugged her. "Just look that way and watch." Kate told her.

"What am I looking for?" Alexis asked her.

"There was a, …." Kate was interrupted when they both saw another flare clear the trees for a moment then fall back down.

"That's a flare. We have some of those in the Range Rover." Alexis tells her.

"It looks like it's pretty far out there." Kate comments.

"Maybe as far as the bridge." Alexis guesses.

Kate grabs Alexis and looks at her. "There's someone at the bridge?" Kate asks.

"GRAMS!" Alexis guesses.

"Go get your quad and go find your father. He's out that way somewhere but is probably buried in the trees and can't see it." Kate tells her.

Alexis didn't need Kate to tell her twice. She ran back into the house and in moments Kate could hear her quad and then soon saw Alexis flying down the trail.

"Please be careful pumpkin." Kate feared she was going too fast. The fear that she would hurt herself on that thing or worse suddenly gripped her heart, big time. "Please pumpkin, …. I love you."

Alexis was flying down the road. She had gone faster when she was trying to get back to her dad long ago when he was pulling Kate to their house. A time that seemed so long ago.

Alexis was trying to look on each side for signs for her father.

Suddenly she saw his quad just off the trail. Alexis slammed on the brakes and skidded to a stop next to his quad. Taking her helmet off. **"DAD!"**

"**DAD**, where are you? DAD!" Alexis started yelling. "DAD!"

"What pumpkin?" Alexis jumped out of her skin. Rick had snuck up behind her from across the trail.

Alexis put her hand over her heart and started trying to breathe again. "Dad we saw flares at the bridge from the house." Alexis finally manages to explain.

"There is someone at the bridge?" Rick questions. "Let's get back to the house. The Range Rover is faster and safer."

Rick grabs his helmet and fires up his quad and is a little behind Alexis since she took off first as soon as his quad fired up.

Kate soon saw Alexis flying back down the trail, and she could feel her heart beating again. Alexis hadn't killed herself on that thing.

Then she saw Rick a little behind her going just as fast.

Kate moved down to the Range Rover and waited. Alexis came flying in and slammed on the brakes and skidded coming up just a little short of Kate.

Rick slid in right behind Alexis. They both took off their helmets and stood next to Kate.

"It was there. It only just barely cleared the trees." Kate tells Rick.

Rick opens up the Range Rover. It wasn't locked so it was easy, and grabbed the flare gun.

He was back to standing next to Kate. "What are you waiting for?" Kate asked him. Fearing that it may already be too late.

"I'm waiting for another flare telling us there is still someone to see ours. We don't have too many of these things." Rick informs her.

Finally they see another flare. After it disappears Rick lifts his hand and fires his flare.

Just as they see his disappear they see another one down by the bridge.

"Go get the keys pumpkin, we're going for a ride." Rick asks her.

Alexis is off at a run. "Hop in Kate, we're going to go see who is waiting for us."

Rick got behind the wheel while Kate sat up front. Alexis was soon back and hopped in the back handing Rick the keys.

"Buckle up ladies we will be flying." Rick warns them.

Alexis buckles up, however. "Buckle up?" Kate asks. Her Alien showing a little.

Rick leaned way over and grabbed Kate's belt and buckled her in then did his. Started the car and started flying down the trail.

Kate thanks to her runs down to the bridge already knew there were no downed trees across the road. Downed trees yes, just not across the road.

Kate was wondering if this thing was safe? A simple belt didn't seem like much in the way of safety.

It took a little while even at this speed to reach the bridge but Rick soon stopped at where it used to be and everyone hoped out.

"EVAN, It's good to see you." Rick knew who it was and so did Alexis. He was the guy from the co-op where they got their pellets.

"Castle, little Castle, Mrs. Castle." Evan didn't know Rick was married but she was lovely and a little younger than he was, and she was with them so he assumed wife.

"You've got yourself a little problem." Evans tells him the obvious.

"We're guessing hurricane Sandy." Rick yells back.

"Hurricane Sandy has done a lot of damage. There are billions of dollars of damage along the coast. Hundreds if not thousands lost their homes. Even our town had a bit of a flood causing damage." Evans informs them.

"Any suggestions Evans? … We've tried looking up and down stream of what used to be a little stream here and there was nothing." Rick tells him.

Evans shakes his head. "Nothing short of building you a new bridge, no."

Rick was afraid of that. "Who got you out here in the first place? We're not that late yet."

"Your mother called everyone in town one by one, including me. She was worried." Evans answers back.

"Thank you grams." Alexis whispers. Getting Kate to take her in her arms to hug her.

"Can you arrange for a contractor to build one before winter sets in?" Rick asks.

"I can look into it for you. Do you need anything?" Evans asks.

"We need a list." Rick looks at Kate and Alexis. "I'll get you a list, gimme a minute."

Evans waited while Rick got pen and paper out of the Range Rover.

"Ladies?" Rick asks.

"Clothes, shoes, feminine products, bras, a coat if we are stuck here all winter." Kate offers up. Giving Rick her sizes. Including bra size not being bashful.

"Movies, more seeds of vegetables and fruits, more pots, more compost if possible." Alexis offers up.

"Propane, gasoline, satellite phone, condoms." Rick adds. Getting Kate to blush at the last one.

"Now we need to get it across to him." Rick tells them.

Kate heads for the Car and opens up the back looking for what they had to work with. Kate finds a bungee cord. "We need some sticks pumpkin, lots of them." Kate tells her.

Alexis has gathered up two handfuls. Kate takes one of them and wraps the list around it. Then adds all the other sticks around it and wraps the bungee cord around all of them.

Satisfied she walks to the edge as far as possible and throws it at him.

Evans has it easy and opens it up and reads it. "Looks easy enough. We can set up a span wire or zip line if you prefer to get all of this across." Evans tells them.

"I have cash I just need to get it to you." Rick tells him.

"Not a problem, your mother has already set up an escrow account in case we needed it. She'll pay us what we need we just have to tell her how much and provide receipts. Do you have enough flares to answer ours?" Evans asks.

"No, you can add that to the list." Rick tells him.

"I'll be back this time tomorrow if you want to meet me. I should have most if not all of this. I'll need to bring some of the boys to help me with the span wire. Search for a good strong tree on your side." Evans tells him.

"We'll be here waiting." Rick tells him.

"I'm going back to town. I'll try and get you everything and look into how to get you across. It may take a little time. You sure this is all you need?" Evans asks holding up the list.

"We're good Evans thanks, I owe you." Rick tells him.

"I'll be back tomorrow and I'll call your mother and let her know. Stay safe over there." Evans gets back into his truck and drives off.

"We're going home!" Alexis grabs Kate and hugs her.

Rick joins in and hugs both of them in one big hug.

Kate responds by kissing Rick soundly. "I love you Rick." Kate finally tells him in front of Alexis.

Rick is a little shocked and stares into her eyes and starts grinning.

"Woo hoo!" Is Alexis's response.


	26. Chapter 26

**CH26**

Rick told Kate and showed her just how much he loved her that night while Kate screamed into her pillow again.

All three of them were at the bridge waiting for Evans and his sons to show up.

They had gotten there early and Evans had shown up 15 minutes late.

"Sorry to keep you waiting Castle. Your mother called again just as we were starting to leave. She told me to tell you that you owe her, big time. And that she expects a raise in her allowance." Evans yells across.

Rick lowers his head. His mother would think of her checkbook.

"Here comes the line." And Evans throws across the first line of several to come. "It's attached to a heavier line that you have to pull across."

Soon Rick and Kate have pulled the heavier line across.

"Detach the light line and throw it back. Then attach the heavy one to a tree you have selected. Nice and tight and as high up as possible." Evans explains.

Kate throws back the light line, while Alexis gets the extension ladder out of the Range Rover.

Rick climbs it and secures the line high up in the tree.

"Here comes the next line." Evans yells and throws it across. "Pull across the heavier line and secure it to the same tree just a little lower down."

Kate and Alexis have watched Evans and his son do the same on the other side. Then they pull out a wheel and attach it between the two lines. Then watch them attach a large leather bag to the bottom of the wheel.

Then they attach rope just above the bag then throw the light line back across. "Ok now pull the guide rope across." Evans yells. "This is the rope you are going to pull on to get your stuff across, and then we pull it back and reload the bag until you have everything."

The three of them watch Evans and his son load the bag. "First load is ready, just pull, slowly."

Soon the first load is across and unloaded on the ground. Alexis scoops it all up and puts it in the back of the Range Rover.

It took a little while but soon it was all across. "That's everything on your list except the satellite phone. Your mother is trying to arrange one and will have it FedEx overnight out to me when she does. I'll be back out this time next week with more propane and more gas and hopefully your phone." Evans tells them.

"Anything on the bridge?" Rick figured it was too early to know but thought he should ask.

"Nothing yet. Your mother is also looking into it." Evans had nothing so far. "Anything else?" Wondering if they had a new list.

"We're good, see you in a week. I owe you Evans." Rick yells back.

"You three stay safe over there." And Evans and his son get in the truck and are gone.

"Well let's get back to the house and see what we got." Rick suggests.

Three propane bottles, 15 gallons of gas, several bags of clothes that get handed to Kate, two bags of compost, 15 pots for plants, more seeds than even Alexis knows what to do with, and four recent releases of movies in Blu-ray DVD, and a box of 20 condoms.

Rick started taking the propane and gas out to the storage off of the carport, Kate took her bags of clothes upstairs and Alexis took her stuff out to the greenhouse.

Rick was just getting back inside the house to look for the movies and condoms. "CLOTHES!" Came from upstairs.

Rick is grinning wide while he picks up the movies just as Alexis comes back inside. "Movie?" Rick asks.

Alexis holds out her hand, getting Rick to do the same. "1, … 2, …. 3. HA! Scissors cuts paper." Alexis takes the movies out of her dads hands and scans them. Selecting one and tossing the other three aside for now.

Rick heads for the popcorn machine convinced Alexis cheated somehow. Again!

Drinks were on the table, popcorn was in two bowls and the movie was on pause when Kate came down the stairs.

Both Rick and Alexis turned to look and dropped their mouths open watching Kate come around front between them and the TV. "TA DA! What do ya think?" Kate asks them turning to show all sides.

Rick swallows hard. "WOW Kate!"

"WOW Mom." Alexis tells her.

Rick spills part of his popcorn bowl twisting around to look at Alexis with a seriously shocked face.

"Ooops." Alexis covers her mouth with her free hand. The other holding her bowl of popcorn.

Kate is quick and sits on the sofa next to Rick and grabs his arm. "Please don't be mad at her Rick." Kate pleads.

Rick twists around to look at Kate. "Oh I'm not mad, … just surprised. Wait, … you knew? Didn't you?" Rick glares at Kate.

Kate nods her head. "Alexis asked me if she could call me mom and told me why, and we made a deal."

"You two made a deal. What deal?" Rick wanted to know. They were talking about his daughter after all.

"I agreed she could call me mom if or when I finally told you that I loved you." Kate tells him cringing at what Rick will say.

"You made a deal." And Rick twists to look at Alexis. "And you asked her if you could call her mom?" Rick questions.

Kate squeezes his arm a little more. "Kate has been more of a mother than my real mother and I love Kate, so I asked." Alexis kind of explains.

"Actually she's been telling me she loves me for a few weeks now. Quietly of course. And actually I kind of had to force it out of her." Kate starts to explain.

Rick is back to looking at Kate. "You forced her to ask you if she could call you mom?" Rick was getting mad now.

"Oh no, not that. I was sitting in the pool and Alexis joined me and we got to talking then she suddenly jumped out of the pool and ran inside crying. I chased her down and asked her what was wrong.

I had to almost force her to tell me why she was crying." Kate explains a little better.

"That's when I asked mom if I could call her mom." Alexis adds from her side.

"And you said yes and made this deal?" Rick questions.

"Well not exactly. We had a talk about why she wanted to call me mom first. Then I offered up the deal that she could call me mom only after I knew for sure that I loved you and had told you." Kate adds. Praying Rick isn't mad.

Rick looks at both of them, and then sets his popcorn down on the table. This is where Kate and Alexis stop breathing.

Rick turns to Kate and wraps his arms around her and kisses her soundly. At first Kate doesn't respond and Rick can feel her shaking. But soon Kate is kissing him back.

Kate starts breathing again when Rick breaks from the kiss.

Rick turns to Alexis. "And you love Kate?" Rick asks making sure. Alexis just nods still not breathing.

Rick bends over and kisses her head. "I love you pumpkin."

Alexis starts breathing. "I love you too dad."

Rick turns back to Kate. "And for the record, I love you too."

Kate collapses up against Rick and starts breathing heavy. Kate had been so afraid of this moment and what Rick would think or do.

"Can we watch our movie now?" Rick asks breaks the ice and the moment.

Alexis un-pauses the movie, Rick grabs his bowl of popcorn and Kate holds on tightly to Rick's arm while leaning up against him. Alternating stealing a bite of popcorn and stealing a quick kiss from Rick.

Kate had actually gotten a number of pieces of clothing. It didn't take much imagination to figure out Evans must have had help in the selection. Provided he had any say at all.

Kate could mix and match for days and not wear the same outfit. Plus she had shoes. They were all flats plus a pair of running shoes that Kate put to good use the next day. Running out to the bridge and back. Now if she just had some weights to work with she would be back in top form in no time.

They had just finished making love to each other that night and Kate way lying on top of Rick, well most of her was anyway. "Rick, you're sure you're not mad?" Kate was still worried.

"About Alexis calling you mom?" Rick wants to confirm. She might think he is mad about something else. Kate however just nods her head against his chest.

"No I'm not mad. We both love you and that's good enough for me. How much do you know about Meredith?" Rick had only told her a little.

Kate proceeded to tell him what Rick had already told her about Meredith and then added what Alexis had told her about Meredith.

"That about sums up Meredith alright. I don't pretend to understand why she does what she does. My mother and Meredith are both actresses. My mother does it, or did do it because she loved it. Mother would take any part she could get, just too actually act.

Be the heroin that gets the guy at the end or die in the opening scene. As long as she was on-stage or on camera didn't matter to her. Right now she has this little acting school where she teaches a few kids everything she knows.

I think she also tutors one or two people. You'll have to learn to adapt to my mother. Martha is, … Unique. I'm pretty sure there is no one else like her." Rick explains his mother a little.

"Well I'm sure I'll love her. She raised you after all. … What about Meredith?" Kate had Martha, what about this witch?

"Meredith acts for the prestige she thinks it gives her. The glitz and glamour, cameras flashing in her face. The more attention it brings her the better she likes it. She probably starts her own rumors about herself, just to get attention.

And unlike mother, if she thinks something is beneath her she won't do it." Rick explains.

"So dying in the opening scene would be out." Like what Martha would do.

Rick chuckles. "Dying at all would be out, let alone the opening scene."

"Is she famous?" Well knows and loved by people who watch what she does.

"In her own mind she is. She has never won any awards or even been nominated. I'm not even sure anything she has been in has won anything or been nominated. As for how she gets these parts she is in, …." Rick trails off.

"By riding the director like what she did to you." Kate remembers.

"Meredith does have a very large sex drive, almost as much as you." Rick teases. It earns him a swat to his chest.

Rick takes the offending hand in his and kisses it. "You are light years above her."

"Why did you marry her in the first place? All I want to do is break every bone in her body and that's after I shove my hand down her throat and rip her heart out. Provided she has one." Kate hated Meredith with every fiber of her body. How she treated Alexis was, was,….

"Hhmmm, long story." Rick tells her.

Kate wiggles and little to snuggle a little closer. "I've got time, I'm not going anywhere. … Except to the bathroom I gotta pee." And Kate hops out of bed and disappears.

Soon she is back and snuggles in close trying to find her place again. "Meredith?"

Rick starts with Kyra Blaine and what happened with her in his life. Then how he met Meredith and why he ended up marrying her. And all about Alexis.

Suddenly Kate was up on her hands staring down at Rick. "She wanted an abortion?"

Kate got a yes out of Rick and she laid back down hating Meredith twice as much as before. To think that Alexis almost wasn't made her blood boil.

Kate could tell that Rick was asleep. Kate however was still awake. Her mind was coming up with ever more devious things she was going to do to Meredith if she ever got the chance.

Oh she wasn't going to kill Meredith. Oh no, killing her was too quick and painless for Meredith.

Break every finger and toe she has, and then cut them off and let her live without hands or feet.

Break both her knee caps so she would never walk again. Then permanently break her ear drums and cut her tongue out. Stuck in a wheelchair, can't walk, talk or hear anything ever again.

Oh Kate had plans for Meredith, each one more painful and devious than the one preceding it.

Kate eventually went to sleep with visions of a broken Meredith dancing in her head.

Kate found Alexis first thing in the morning after showering and putting on some of her new clothes, with panties that actually fit right.

Kate wraps her arms around Alexis un-announced. "Pumpkin I want you to promise me that you'll let me know if Meredith ever shows up again. I don't want her hurting you or your father again. You've both got me now." Kate pulled back and put her hands of both sides of Alexis's face. "Promise me." With a serious pleading look in her eyes.

"I promise mom." Kate takes her back into her arms and hugs her.

Alexis melts into her arms and a few tears leak out. Alexis has someone besides her dad who loves her and wants to look out for her. Her, not her dad's money.

Alexis sniffles due to the tears and her now runny nose. "I love you mom."

"I love you too pumpkin." And Kate squeezes her tighter. Meredith got to Alexis over her dead body.

The rest of the week went pretty much like most of the others. Kate was wearing only her new clothes now and Alexis was out in the greenhouses putting her new items to good use and Rick was finishing up his last chapter to his book.

They met Evans at the bridge as planned and he passed over 3 more propane tanks and another 15 gallons of gas. He also had two more bags of compost and one additional new release Blue-ray DVD for them to watch.

"Your mother bought a satellite phone for you. FedEx sent it to Houston instead of to me. They're still trying to find it, the idiots. So she bought another one and is shipping it out overnight today.

As soon as I get either one of them I'll drive out and start shooting flares, ... which reminds me." Evans goes back to his truck and comes back with a case.

After Rick gets it he finds it's a case of flares and another flare gun. "I forgot that last time. I think it's my old age creeping up on me. …. I've still got nothing on getting you a bridge. Most say it will take close to 6 months to complete something big enough to handle the span and the weight you are going to put on it with that trailer of yours." Evans tells him. "By then winter will kick in hard and they will be forced to stop until spring."

Rick was afraid of that.

"Oh and the misses wants to know if you want any more clothes Mrs. Castle." Evans asks her. Actually he thought his wife told him to ask just so she could have an excuse to go shopping with someone else's money again.

Kate doesn't correct him. Actually being called Mrs. Castle didn't scare her for some reason. "Just that winter coat and some winter shoes just in case would be nice." Kate yells back.

"I'll tell her. Hopefully she'll have something picked out when your phone arrives. You three stay safe over there." Evans heads for his truck.

"Thank her for me." Kate tells him.

Kate gets a wave of his hand and drives off.


	27. Chapter 27

**CH27**

Back at the house Rick put away the supplies Evans had given them while Alexis took the compost bags and went to work in a greenhouse. Kate decided to join her, she could load pots as easily as the next person.

Slowly Kate was learning some of Alexis's secrets.

"Alexis can I ask a question." Kate was curious and scared at the same time.

"Sure mom." Alexis kept on working.

Kate got her to stop and held her in place and twisted her to look at Kate. "Alexis sweetie, … why me?"

"MOM?" Alexis was confused, why her what.

"I'm sure your father has dated other women. You've probably met other women that maybe your father did or didn't date. Why me? Why love me?"

Alexis visibly shrinks. "Most women dad dates are after him for his money. He makes good money. This house and the one at home cost a lot. A few try to be nice to me to get to him. They don't really want me or care about me.

But you do! You're not after dad for his money. Do they even have money on your planet?" Kate nods her head but says nothing more.

"And you liked dad the moment you saw him. We both saw your face light up the first time you opened your eyes. You have a beautiful smile." And Kate gives Alexis another one at that comment.

"And you're pretty. Not made up fake pretty. We don't have any make-up for your face and you're pretty without it." Kate gives her still another smile that lights up her face.

"And you're not scared. Lots of people would be scared to be out here all alone with strangers like us. Separated from their friends and family. But you're not.

And you're an Alien. I have an Alien for a mom, how cool is that." And Alexis's face lights up with her smile. "And you care about me, … you love me for me." Alexis goes back to staring at the ground.

Kate grabs her and wraps her arms around her. "Oh Alexis sweetie, of course I love you for who you are. How could anyone NOT love you?" A new idea on what to do to Meredith pops into Kate's head.

"Mom?" Alexis has a question.

Kate pulls back but still has a hold of Alexis. "What pumpkin?"

"Are you going to stay with us when we go back home?" Alexis was afraid, very afraid.

"Do you want me to?" Kate and Rick hadn't talked about it.

Alexis suddenly wraps her arms around Kate who was now down on her level. "Please don't leave mom."

Kate suddenly found it hard to breath and a tear escaped down her cheek. Kate had never had anyone want her like these two. Her mom loved her before she died and her dad loved her before he disappeared into the bottom of a liquor bottle never to be seen again. Permanently now.

Kate wasn't a virgin but she had never loved any of them. Not like this anyway. And these two were all she had now.

"Let's go find your father." Kate whispers in her ear. And they left the greenhouse hand in hand.

They found Rick sitting on the sofa typing. "Dad can we talk?" Alexis asked first.

"I'm almost, … done. …. There, all done." And Rick saves his work and closes the laptop. "What's up?"

"You finished your book?" Kate asks. "Who's the new character?" Kate was dying to know. However she gets a yank of her hand from Alexis. "Oh, right, can we talk Rick?" And Kate sits on one side while Alexis sits on the other.

Rick looked at each of them. They looked serious and he was getting double teamed. This looked bad. Well bad for him anyway.

"Dad, can mom come home with us when we leave?" Please say yes dad written all over her face.

Rick puffs out a little air. "Of course!" That was a DUH question if he ever heard one. "Unless Kate has other plans." Turning to look at Kate with Alexis looking around her dad to look at Kate too.

Kate just grabs Rick and hugs him. "I take it that was a yes?" Rick asks.

"Yes please. " Kate whispers into his ear. Then she bites his earlobe, hard. Just short of drawing blood.

Rick slaps his hand over his wounded ear. "OEW! What was that for?" It had actually hurt.

"Just marking my territory." Kate tells him grinning.

"In that case, mark away." And Rick kisses her. Getting a soft "YES!" out of Alexis.

"You're sure this doesn't present a problem?" Kate didn't have a history here. How was she going to get a job? Get around? Live?

"You mean get you an ID and a history? Piece of cake." Rick waves it off. "Might cost me a few pennies, but that part's easy. Teaching you to drive, …. That might present more of a problem."

Kate punches his arm. "Are you implying that I can't learn?" Kate glares at him.

"No, but depending on what type of work you want to do may require specialized training. Simple driving around town or even down our trail is easy. Now if you need to learn to drive more defensively with a lot more skill than the average person, like me, that will require you to go to school to learn." Rick explains.

"They have those kinds of places?" Kate asks.

"Of course, we just have to look one up and get you there, simple." Rick tells her.

"I don't know what to do?" Kate tells them.

"When we get home I'll sit you in front of the iMac and let you do some research. If we can plug your Lucy in maybe she can help you look. And probably help you in whatever job you like." Rick tells her.

"Alexis says you're rich." Kate wonders.

"Well I'm not that rich, but I do ok. Better than some." Rick tells her.

"Can you teach me to drive?" Kate asks.

"We can start now if you want. Evans has given us 30 gallons of gas so far. That plus what we have left should be more than enough." And Rick stands up and offers his hands to Kate.

They are soon outside with Kate in the driver's seat of the Range Rover.

Alexis is standing on the front patio while Rick gives her the basics and hands her the keys.

Soon the car is running and Alexis watches as the Range Rover heads off down the trail, cringing and twitching now and again.

Eventually the car is out of sight. It comes back a little later smoother than it left.

Alexis cringes and twitches a couple of times as Kate works at parking it out front. Then Kate backs it up and is off down the trail again.

Alexis notices that it comes back a little faster than when it left. Though she still cringes and twitches when Kate tries to park it. Then Kate backs it up and is off down the trail again.

After a number of trips Kate is getting the hang of it and Alexis is smiling when they stop and both get out.

"How was it?" Alexis asks.

"It's not bad; it still strikes me as being a little unsafe." Kate comments.

Then Rick goes through the safety features of the Range Rover. "Wait'll you see dad's other car." Alexis grins.

"You have more than one?" Kate was amazed. Since Alexis was clearly too young to drive why did he have two?

"It's WAY faster than this one." Alexis is grinning. "DAD!" And Alexis points.

Both Rick and Kate turn just in time to see a flare fall out at the bridge.

Rick pulls out the flare gun and waits for the next one. As soon as it disappears he fires his. Getting an instant response back.

"Let's go ladies, Kate you drive." Giving the keys back to Kate.

Kate wasn't her dad but it wasn't bad, Alexis thought.

"Evans, what's up?" Rick yells across.

"I've got two satellite phones." And he holds each up one in each hand. "And the misses got you the coats and shoes you asked for. I've also got more propane and gas."

After everything was transferred over. "I checked each phone and called your mother with each just to make sure. She told me to tell you that if you don't call her she's going to make your life a living hell.

You call me if you need something I'm sure you've got my number." Evans tells them.

"Thanks Evan, not sure what we would do without you." Rick tells him.

"You stay safe over there, and it was nice meeting you Mrs. Castle." And Evans hops in his truck and drives off.

"You want to drive us back Mrs. Castle?" Rick arches his eyebrows at her a couple of times.

Rick gets punched in his arm for his comment, but Kate didn't put much force behind it, and her grin kinda gave it away that she didn't mean it.

Still Kate got behind the wheel and turned them around and drove back to the house. Glaring at Alexis in the mirror as Alexis was grinning all the way.

Rick put the propane and gas away, Alexis went out to her greenhouse and Kate took her new clothes upstairs and tried each item on.

**Mountain Horse Ladies Eclipse Winter Boots offer:**

Waterproof Rubber

100% Nylon

Removable Faux Fur Lining

Reflective Inserts

Lace-up D Rings

IPS System in the Heel

The North Face Sisque Women's Cold Weather Boots

The North Face Sisque - Women's Cold Weather Boots : Prussian Blue/Brilliant Blue : Take a gander of the après ski scene after a long day on the slopes with the ultra warm Sisque boot from The North Face. ; Waterproof, BLC-compliant, full-grain leather uppers.

Wholesale 2013~2014 Newest Women Moose Knuckles Winter Jacket Stirling North Face Boundary Triclimate Jacket Women's Greystone Blue / Greystone Blue / Coy Pink

Kate didn't know who this misses was, but she didn't have bad taste in clothes.

Everyone was in the kitchen or sitting at the counter thinking up what to eat for dinner, when Rick handed one of the phones to Alexis. "Call your grandmother while I call someone to see if he can get us out of here."

Kate was torn, Alexis was sitting there calling her grandmother and Kate wanted to hear. But Rick was over there trying to get them out of here and she wanted to hear that too.

"Hi Grams!" Alexis sounded happy.

"No Grams were fine."

"Lots of food and water. … Yes and A/C."

"I'd like to speak to a Col. Silver please. …. Yes I'll hold."

"It's been great grams. … We tried to go camping but it was cut short. … No it wasn't because of Hurricane Sandy."

"Ed, it's Richard Castle. …. Yea I'm great. … Alexis is doing fine, we're still on the border for our summer vacation. …. Yes I know summer is over, we've had a little problem."

"That's difficult to explain grams. …. There was a crash and we rescued someone. …. Yea she was hurt in the crash. …. No dad and I made it back home fine."

"Hurricane Sandy washed out our little bridge across our little creek that isn't so little anymore. …. Yea we're stuck on our side and can't get across to get home."

"No she's much better now grams. … No we didn't take her to the hospital. …. Yea because we don't have a bridge. …. No she's very nice grams you'd love her."

"Evans, a guy from the town of Malone came out to check on us. …. My mother called him. …. Yes he told us some of what hurricane Sandy has done."

"Yes grams she's still here. …. Are you sure Grams?"

"I was hoping you knew of a way to get us across our not so little stream then I could have someone come out and build us a bigger and better bridge for next year."

Kate watches Alexis come over to her. "Grams wants to talk to you."

"Me? Why me?" Kate takes the phone. Takes a deep breath. "Mrs. Castle?"

Kate sees Alexis slap her hand over her mouth. "Oooops."

"Mrs. Rodgers?" ….. "Martha."

"The water has gone down probably enough that the Range Rover could cross it now, but it's the banks on both sides that worry me. …. Yea Sandy did a number on them."

"No your son and granddaughter have been terrific, they are both something special. …. Yes I have been offered to come with them when we get out." Kate wasn't going to tell her that I love both of them over a phone.

"That's great Ed, …. Yes you can call me at this number or you can shoot flares when you reach the bridge we can respond that we have seen yours and then drive out if you want. …. Thanks Ed I owe you one." Rick hangs up.

Rick catches. "Yes I'm looking forward to meeting you too." And Kate hangs up.

"You were talking to my mother?" Rick is shocked.

"Alexis was talking to her and she said she wanted to talk to me. What did you find out?" Kate wants to change the subject desperately.

"Col. Ed Silver is a guy I know stationed at Fort Drum about 2 hours from town. He's going to have a couple of guys from the 7th Engineer Battalion come out and look at our stream to see if they can do something for us. Probably about noon tomorrow. He's going to call us back with what they say." Rick explains.

"You talked to my mother?" Rick asks again.

"Yes babe I talked to your mother." Kate tells him again, and then slaps her hand over her mouth.

Rick's eyebrows shoot up and he puts his phone down on the counter and takes the other from her hands and puts it on the counter, then takes Kate in his arms and kisses her.

"I'll be in the greenhouse if you want me." Alexis tells them not knowing if they hear her or not.

Rick breaks from the kiss and Kate just holds onto him for dear life. "Rick, … Alexis once asked me not to hurt you. I think it was all the kissing I was doing when we first met, and we probably need to talk about that and other things soon.

But it's not my hurting you that has me worried. It's you hurting me." Kate confides and gets a questioning look from Rick.

"I love you. I think I've loved you for a long time now. … I'll explain later. But Rick, I can't lose you. It'll rip my heart to shreds. It's why I've taken so long to tell you that I love you. When we leave here you'll drop me off somewhere and I'd never survive that.

And I don't mean the sex. Well that's not true it is the sex, but that's only part of it. I need to go where you go. Even in my dreams all I see is you. Night after night.

At first you were just my lover, lately you've been more than that. I can see you and Alexis with me in my dreams. …. I don't mean to, … I'm not trying to, …. Please Rick, I'm scared. Really scared." Kate has laid her heart bare for Rick to do who knows what to it. And that scares her even more.

Rick can feel her breathing heavy and is shaking in his arms as she talks into his ear with her head on his shoulder. She really was scared and he could feel it.

All in or all out Rick, he tells himself. If she is this brave why can't he?

Rick pulls her away from him and doing this he can see the pain of it in her eyes. The fear that he is going to rip her heart to shreds just by that one simple act.

Rick places his hands on each side of her face. "Then marry me Kate. Marry me and you'll never have to worry about that again. …. I don't mean today or tomorrow, but somewhere in the future not too distant. Marry me! …. Just say yes." Rick plunges in head first.

Kate pushes her head forward and kisses him soundly. Breaking from the kiss Kate goes back to hugging him. "Yes babe, Yes. Anytime. …. Make love to me tonight, then we need to talk. There are things you should know." Kate whispers into his ear.

"More soul bearing things?" Rick wonders.

"A few yes. …. We should go tell Alexis." Kate tells him.

Rick agrees and rises with Kate in his arms and they head for one of the greenhouses.


	28. Chapter 28

**CH28**

"Pumpkin we need to talk to you." Rick tells her as they enter the greenhouse.

Alexis was initially scared but noticed that they were holding each other though their faces showed worry. So Alexis just stood there looking at them.

"I asked Kate to marry me." Rick just gets it out.

Alexis stands there shocked, happy, worried.

"I said yes." Kate tells her.

Alexis shrieks and dances in place then launches herself at Kate and hugs her. After Alexis lets go of Kate she dances again and hugs her dad.

"I take it you approve?" Rick isn't really guessing here.

Alexis just shrieks and switches to hugging Kate again.

"What do we do to celebrate?" Rick asks both of them.

"Ice cream!" Alexis tells them and lets go of Kate and runs for the house.

"Well that could have gone better." Rick chuckles.

Kate is grinning and starts pulling Rick into the house to get ice cream.

Alexis already had three bowls and three spoons out and was digging in the freezer section of the refrigerator.

Alexis was about half way thru eating her ice cream before eating dinner. "You asked." Rick nods. "And you said yes." Kate nods with a spoon in her mouth.

Alexis shrieks and wiggles in her seat.

Later that night after Kate has screamed into her pillow twice Kate is lying partly on Rick and relaxed.

"Rick, ….. Oh, this is going to be hard. …. My first night on board ship after we launched I had a dream. I had a late night man suddenly show up in my bed and he made love to me. It was sooo real. Initially I couldn't see him very clearly.

He was in my dreams night after night. He didn't always make love to me but he usually did. It was amazing. He did things that I've always wanted a man to do to me.

Then I could see his face more clearly as time went on. Going to my room became an escape from the problems of the day.

Then I woke up one time and he was so much more real than ever before. Then I started asking him to kiss me since he wasn't doing it without my asking him, which was different.

Initially at the beginning there was a person that would interrupt us sometimes but I could never see who it was. Then there was this girl with orange/red hair in my face asking me questions." Kate tries to tell him what has been happening.

"Alexis. ….. Wait are you trying to tell me that the man in your dreams was me?" Rick thinks he has 2+2.

"Yes, ... I don't know how but you've been in my dreams for a very long time now. Then you turned out to be real." Kate tells him.

"You asked me once if I was real." Rick remembers.

"Rick, ... I've been in love with you before I even got here and was found and rescued by you. I can't resist you, I've been in love with you for some time now. That's why losing you will hurt so much." Kate tells him.

"Kate you're not losing me, but I can't help but feel sad." Rick tells her, but doesn't get a response.

"You've had me and been making love to me, in your dreams granted, but I've only had you for the summer. I've been cheated." Rick is bummed. Kate just lightly giggles.

"I have been praying for someone like you and have been dating a seamless never ending series of one night only dates followed by another, searching. I think it was hurting Alexis too." Rick tells her.

"We've both been suffering alone thinking there was no one out there for us." Kate whispers into his chest.

"And now we'll heal each other because now we have each other." Rick comments.

"I love you Rick. I can't help but love you." Kate tells him whispering into his chest.

"I love you too Kate. I need to love you to save myself and my daughter." Rick tells her.

"Anything else?" Rick wonders.

"Just one. I need you to keep an open mind Rick." Kate lifts up to look at him. "Promise you'll keep an open mind."

"I'm in love with an alien and going to marry her. How open minded do I have to be?" Rick wonders.

"Yea about that." Kate lays back down on him.

"You're not from another planet?" Rick thinks he's joking.

"No I'm from another planet, just not that alien. …. Our ancient writings tell us that our ancestors were taken from a planet long, long ago by an alien race we have never met.

There were only a few thousand that were relocated. 16 maybe 18 thousand people."

"Your people didn't evolve on your planet? Is 18 thousand people enough DNA diversity for a civilization?" Rick didn't understand this problem.

"It was estimated that something like 20 thousand would be the best minimum. You can do it with considerably less but that leads to certain problems that are not bad but would be best to be avoided." Kate answers his question.

"So everyone on your planet is a relative, sort of." Rick wonders.

"So are you and Alexis." Kate drops her bomb.

"Come again?" Rick doesn't understand.

"We had coordinates of where the planet our ancestors were relocated from." Kate explains.

"How long ago are we talking here?" Rick wonders. Kate's people have space travel and they can barely get off the planet.

"There is a big debate about that and I don't actually know. However I do know where we came from." Kate whispers to his chest.

"Have you ever tried to go back there?" Rick asks wondering if they were curious and if it was close enough.

"My ship was the second exploration ship that was sent to investigate and make contact if possible." Kate whispers even softer afraid of his reaction.

"You crashed here in your escape pod. Bracken escaped in a short range shuttle. …. You were coming here?" Rick is shocked.

"Your planet is our home planet. In a weird sort of way you are our great, great, great, grandparents." Kate tells him.

"No way! …. Wait does that mean you're not an alien? Bummer." Rick is bummed. His fiancée isn't an alien like he thought.

Kate giggles a little. "Kinda depends on your definition of alien. None of the people on my planet have ever lived here."

"Since you've never been here and came from another planet, that makes you an alien in my book. COOL!" Rick was happy again. And earns him a playful swat from Kate.

"Wait, if your people are from here and have space travel to get from your planet to here, why don't we? We're older than you are." Rick didn't understand.

Kate shakes her head still laying on Rick. "I don't know. I wondered about that too after I was convinced sort of that you and Alexis were not part of my dream." Kate answers still confused about that too.

"Maybe it was these aliens you mentioned. Maybe they left something for you to use. Intentionally or not." Rick offers.

"Possible I guess. We do build ships that have FTL to get here. Still it takes time." Kate tells him.

"You said you were part Engineer. Does that mean you know how to build this FTL engine?" Rick was interested now.

"Yes, mostly. And what I don't know Lucy does." Kate answers. "But if you don't have the technology to make the tools necessary to make the drive it won't help."

"Way to blow up my dreams Kate. Thank you very much." Rick had dreams about being out in space. "I guess that means we won't be getting married in space." Getting Kate to chuckle.

"Wait, you said I was still in your dreams, but I'm real and right here." Rick questions and pinches her just to prove it.

"Owe!" Kate shakes the arm he pinched.

"Just marking my territory dear." Getting Kate to giggle. "What am I doing in your dreams now?" Rick risks asking, since dreams are personal.

"Just stuff mostly, living. …. I can see you and Alexis clearly now. We are all someplace. It's kind of foggy and I can't see it clearly, but it seems big." Kate explains.

"Big, how big?" Rick wonders.

"We're inside something. A house maybe I don't know. It's different somehow, but it's big. Bigger than here and there are all these stairs. The stairs seem to be everywhere and I'm constantly going up and down them. But I can't see to where or where I came from, just stairs." Kate tells him.

Now Rick is shocked. The house in New York was technically bigger than this one and it did have a lot of stairs. However it had very few walls so it looked bigger than it really was. How could she see their home? Kate had obviously never been there. Strange?

"Is this why you can speak English for being an alien?" Rick thinks he gets it.

"Unlike here there are only a few languages spoken on Tellus. English, German, Spanish, Italian and Russian. Most everyone can speak two of them." Kate tells him.

"So you speak English and what?" Rick wonders.

"I speak English and Russian fluently." Kate answers his question.

"Go to sleep Kate, you'll figure it all out. I have faith." Rick tells her. And if it was their home in New York she was going to get a really good look at it soon. If they can get out of here that is.

It was a little after lunch the next day when one of the satellite phones rang. Alexis raced for it and beat everyone to it.

"Hello." … "Hi grams!" ….. "Yes I'm fine." …. "Yes dad is fine to." …. "Yes she is fine too." ….. "Her name is Kate." ….. "I don't know." Alexis covers the phone with her hand.

"Grams wants to know if Kate is short for Katherine?" Alexis asks Kate, getting a nod from Kate.

"She said yes grams." …. "I'll tell her. Bye grams." Alexis hangs up the phone.

"Grams wants to know if you like Chinese food. She is going to order for all of us as soon as she knows when we will be home." Alexis tells Kate.

"I don't know, I've only eaten what you and your father cook." Kate confides.

"I'll go tell dad to make Chinese tonight and we'll find out." Alexis heads outside since Rick was getting ready to bring in a bag of pellets to put in the pellet stove. It had gotten cold last night and he wanted to warm the place up a little.

Alexis was outside talking to Rick when Kate came out carrying a ringing satellite phone and handed it to Rick.

"Rick Castle."

"Ed! Good to hear from you. Please tell me you have good news." Rick prays.

"That's great!" Rick practically yells out. "When again?" …. "Two days?" …. "No we can do it. We've got lots to do in those two days. We'll be there Ed. I owe you, thanks buddy." And Rick hangs up the phone.

"The 7th Engineer Brigade is going to have a temporary bridge built starting tomorrow and be done the next day. Then they are going to take it back apart and take it back to Fort Drum. We are out of here in two days." Rick tells them.

"WOO,HOO!" Alexis yells.

Kate just hugs Rick. "We've got a lot to do in two days pumpkin." Rick was thinking about what it took to close up the house for the winter.

"Two days." Alexis looked worried.

"I can help, tell me what to do." Kate was willing if it meant not being trapped here all winter. Besides these two were family now, or at least will be.

"Let's eat lunch first and then you can go grab the list pumpkin. Might as well get started now." Rick offers since he knows Alexis is in charge of the list here too.

Rick and Alexis had getting here and back out of here down to a science.

After lunch Kate helped Alexis move stuff from the greenhouses out to the garden, and the camel greenhouse wasn't as secure as the glass one so they moved most of what was in it to the other.

Rick put the patio furniture back in storage and locked it back up against the house. Then he went out to collect all his traps using his quad. They were all empty which was actually a blessing. Then he locked the quads up.

Kate got her first taste of Chinese food for dinner. It turned out to be a hit, Kate loved it.

The next day was filled with taking stuff out of the house and putting it in the trailer, in a certain order. Trash had to be last since it was going to get dumped in town.

The refrigerator was emptied into the coolers after dinner, turned off, cleaned and left open.

Come morning the propane line at the tanks was closed and the line was bled of any remaining propane. He also bleeds the solar hot water storage tank. The outhouses were checked and locked up. Clothes that had been packed were placed in the Range Rover. The trash was loaded into the trailer.

Rick turned off all the water and opened the drain valve while Alexis went to the main breaker panel and started turning everything off and left the flashlight at the front door.

Alexis and Kate closed all the window shutters and locked them in place.

Kate had made sure all but the front door was locked while Rick moved the Range Rover and hooked up the trailer.

Alexis locked the front door and met everyone at the Range Rover.

"Goodbye summer vacation home." Alexis talks to it. Kate just hugs her and kisses the top of her head.

"Let's go see if the 7th Engineer Battalion is ready for us." Rick offers and everyone climbs into the Range Rover.

It takes a little while to drive the distance. The trailer while mostly empty this time still slows them down.

Soon they can see a lot of men in the distance. As they get closer a man holding an M16 stops them.

Rick stops the car and both Rick and Kate get out. Kate still has her weapon attached to her arm. It always has been ever since they found her.

"I'm sorry sir but this is as far as I can let you travel." He tells them.

Not long after another soldier starts striding towards them. "Mr. Castle?" Rick gives a nod.

"I'm Lt. Woodson of the 7th Engineering Brigade, it's a pleasure to meet you sir. Col. Silver sends his regards. We should be done in about an hour if you and your family care to wait."

Rick shakes his hand. "I'm not sure we have a choice." Rick tells him chuckling.

"No sir, I don't suppose you do at that."

"I want to thank you for your help Lieutenant. We would be stuck out here all winter if not for you and your men." Rick tells him and means it.

"We're glad to help you and your family. Besides we could use the practice. As soon as we're done we'll get you across and then start the process of taking it back apart and shipping it back to base. You'll probably want to look into getting yourself a more permanent solution."

"I intend to stop in Monroe on the way home, though we will probably have to look farther out to get a contractor for a new bridge of this size." Rick tells him. Monroe is a good sized town, just not that big.

"The corporal here will see to it that nothing happens to you while you wait." And he walks back to the bridge.

Rick and Kate get back in the car to wait. All three of them see at least 30 men running around each doing something. There were trucks as well as closed and open trailers on the far side. Along with a number of Humvees.

Kate spotted another 2 armed guards near the bride, one on each side. If it was her there would be another one just like the corporal here on the other side a little further out. Plus at least one guard for all the trucks and trailers. They looked efficient to her eye.

Mostly Kate watched the corporal closest to them. He didn't move much, but his eyes were forever moving. He took his job seriously. If the others were like him she could learn to like this group.

Eventually they could see men waving them forward and the corporal came up on Rick's side. "You can cross now sir. Thank you for traveling with the 7th Engineering Brigade." And he stands back out of the way.

Lt. Woodson saluted after Rick had crossed then started yelling out new orders. They would be gone before dark.

Rick drove into town to stop and see Evans. "Castle, little Castle, Mrs. Castle. I see you got yourself out of your prison." Evans jokes a little.

"I still owe you Evans, we might still be out there if not for you." Rick shakes his hand then bear hugs him.

"You should thank your mother. She called damn near everyone in town, one by one till she got to me." Rick knew he wasn't going to hear the end of it either.

"Until we get the bridge replaced we probably won't be back next summer, so I'd hold off on getting any pellets for us." Rick was sad about that.

"I figured as much. Don't forget the propane guy. Hate to see them drive two trucks out there for nothing." Evans reminds him.

"I haven't forgotten. We'll dump our trash as usual and head home. You might want to pass the word to the grocery store too if you would. Not likely we'll buy them out next summer." Rick and Alexis really did a number on the shelves earlier.

"Yea, they're going to miss you and your money." Evans laughs.

Rick stops and they all get out to unload their trash. "Pumpkin, you want to call your grandmother. We'll be home in about 6 hours." Rick tells Alexis.

Kate could feel her heart beating faster and harder in her chest as they drove. All she knew was their summer home. What was life in this New York City going to be like?

A new stage of her life was about to begin.


	29. Chapter 29

**CH29**

Kate was soon amazed. There were buildings everywhere. It took a little time but Kate soon saw that Rick would stop when these lights were red and go when they turned green. They were also the biggest thing on the road thanks to the trailer they were towing.

There were a lot of cars and they were all different, except for the large number of yellow cars with signs on top of them. Since the windows were up she didn't hear much noise. But Rick just kept driving making a number of turns.

Then she watched Rick open a small compartment inside and pull out a small box. Off to one side she saw two large doors and one of them started opening. Between these two big doors was a little one for people to enter.

"Come on Kate, help me stop traffic, dad needs to back in here." And Alexis hopped out of the Range Rover and Kate followed.

"We need to get the cars to stop so dad can get the trailer and Range Rover inside." Alexis explains and walks out into the middle of the road waving her arms.

Alexis had always done this alone in the past and not everyone would stop, but with Kate taking one lane while Alexis took the other it went a lot smoother.

With practiced ease Rick backed the trailer and Range Rover in thru the big open door and disappeared into the building.

Kate could see that there was a patio on the second floor and a large amount of glass above that. Though it was not even with the front face, it was inset a little.

"Come on Kate." And Alexis ran for the still open door, with Kate right behind her.

Once inside Kate stopped in her tracks. The space was large, really large. There were these two long bays with columns between them. Rick hadn't backed the trailer all the way in and there was still room behind it and in front of it. Then she heard and watched the door close.

In the next bay over sat something smaller than the Range Rover but it had tires similar to the Range Rover. She guessed this must be Rick's other car Alexis had mentioned earlier. It looked a lot sleeker than the boxy Range Rover.

"Alexis dear." Kate heard someone call and turned to see a slim tall elderly lady step into the bay from an opening in the wall.

"Grams!" And watched Alexis run for her and end up in the woman's arms.

"It's good to have you home dear. That business with the bridge, aaughh." Kate sees her wave her hands with a dramatic flair.

"Where's your father?" Martha asks her.

"I'm here mother." Rick shows up carrying one of the coolers.

Rick gets a kiss on the cheek from her. "Where is this Katherine, Alexis was so excited about?" So Kate steps up. "Well introduce us dear." Martha looks at Rick sternly. Getting Kate to grin.

"Mother, this is Kate Beckett. Kate this is my mother Martha Rodgers." Rick introduces them.

Martha steps up and takes Kate's hand in both of hers. "It's a pleasure to meet you dear. You're lovely, where have you been hiding?" Martha dives right in.

"Mother?" Rick moans.

"Oh posh dear, I'm only stating the obvious. You come right upstairs, the food is already here. We need to hurry before it gets cold." And Martha takes Kate's arm and starts walking.

"Mother we need to unload the coolers first and put what's in them in the refrigerator before it goes bad." Rick tells her.

"Well alright dear it you must, but hurry it up dear." And Martha lets go of Kate and disappears back thru the door way.

"Come on Kate I'll help you." Alexis offers and takes Kate's hand and heads for the back of the trailer.

Alexis takes one end of a big cooler while Kate takes the other and they go thru the doorway Martha had come and gone thru. It was a set of stairs going up!

Once upstairs Kate stopped to take it all in. The space was huge and it was mostly all open.

Kate knew this space! She had seen it countless times lately. There would be three bedrooms over there along with another set of stairs going down. In the middle Alexis was pulling her towards was a large open colorful kitchen with bright red cabinets.

There was a massive dining room table with 10 chairs, and over there would be the huge living area complete with old world fireplace. There would be a bathroom on the backside of the kitchen along with two more over by the bedrooms.

Kate knew there was another set of stairs over there on the far end that went up to something that she couldn't remember clearly.

There was another bathroom downstairs next to another room that she couldn't see clearly.

"Come on mom. … ooopps." Alexis was calling to her since Kate was barely moving.

Martha was in the kitchen and had heard that slip up but kept it to herself for now. "Oh Alexis dear, who have you brought home?" Martha is thinking.

It took another trip to carry all the coolers upstairs, then they went to work putting it all in this giant refrigerator likes of which Kate had never seen. It was massive!

There was a six burner gas cook top with a flat plat in-between with an oven below it. This sink was in this massive island that was easily 10 feet long. It had two large very deep bowls with a pre-rinse faucet mounted to the countertop.

The countertop looked like a stained concrete as did the floors, everywhere. There were no upper cabinets, just lower ones. There was however a pantry closet on the back side of the bathroom .

Kate could see the entrance out to the front patio area above the bid doors downstairs. It was filled with windows letting in lots of light that was fading fast since it was late in the day.

Kate could feel her heart pounding. Kate knew this place. She even knew where everything was in the kitchen. Which bedroom was Rick's and now hers too. Which one was Alexis's.

Kate knew there were speakers hidden everywhere along with data ports and power outlets in some of the weirdest places. There was a projector hanging from the ceiling that projected on this massive pull down screen on that wall over there, which was up at the moment.

There were even trees in pots inside this massive space. The ceilings had to be at least 18 feet high. The ceilings downstairs were even taller.

"Like it?" Rick stepped up next to her. "It used to be an old fire station. It even still has some of the old fire station insignias on the outside. I bought it and had it converted to a residence. It may not be to everyone's taste but I couldn't resist its old world charm. They don't make buildings like this anymore." Rick tells him.

Kate was still staring at it all, her head on a swivel. "It's gorgeous Rick. Simply stunning." There was old world exposed concrete block walls everywhere. Except for the bedroom and bathroom walls which were studded drywall.

None of the bedrooms had ceilings. None of those walls made it to the bottom of the roof deck. Just the bathrooms and pantry had low ceilings.

Rick had, had spray foam inserted into the open cavities of the old block walls to help keep the place warm. He had done the same downstairs and the underside of the roof above. It wasn't perfect but it was better than doing nothing.

All of the plumbing and A/C ductwork and units had been replaced with new state of the art high efficiency units. The tankless water heaters were downstairs in the old boiler room along with the inside A/C split system. The outside condensing units were on the roof.

The heating for this building used to be hot water from a boiler to old fashioned cast iron radiators. Rick had it all ripped out in favor of forced air.

"Well come over and eat you two before it gets cold." Martha calls to them.

Kate picked things that looked good and was pleasantly surprised and was soon taking bits and pieces from other boxes. Martha had gotten enough to feed a small army.

"So tell me Katherine where did you two meet?" Meaning Rick and Kate.

Rick silently cringed.

"We met while Rick and Alexis were out camping." Which was the truth, just leaving out the part about crashing into their camp site.

"That must have been quite a trip for you. I know their house is isolated." Martha digs a little further.

"Yea you could say I was lost in the middle of nowhere. I'm very lucky these two found me." I would have died if they didn't.

"You got separated from your group?" Martha wonders.

"Yes very much so." By thousands of miles Kate adds silently.

"Aren't they worried about you?" Martha things they would be.

"Not anymore." Kate answers knowing they are all dead, so she is still telling the truth.

"Well I'm glad. It wouldn't do to let them worry about you." Martha relaxes a little.

"No they are not worried anymore." The dead don't worry about anything.

"How long have you been with Richard and Alexis?" Martha wonders how long ago this event took place.

Kate opens her mouth and then closes it, not sure of the time.

"About three month's mother and maybe add a couple of weeks to that." Rick answers for her.

"Oh my, you three must have spent a lot of time together then." Martha is wondering why Alexis calls her mom?

"Yes, I got to know your son and granddaughter quite well in that time." Since I'm engaged to your son and have been making love to him in that time, and more.

"You must have made quite an impression on these two." Martha wonders just how much.

"Oh she's great grams! … I mean she's very nice." Alexis speaks up for once.

Martha just smiles at Alexis. 'So you love Katherine which is why you call her mom. I wonder if my son loves her too?' Martha wonders in her head.

"Well I'll let you three get on with whatever plans you have. I'm going back to my apartment." Martha gets up. "It has been a pleasure meeting you Katherine. I hope to see more of you."

"Thank you Martha, it's been a pleasure meeting you to." And you're going to see a lot of me since I live here and going to marry your son.

"I'll walk you out until your taxi arrives, mother." Rick offers.

"Thank you dear. I will see you later Alexis dear." Martha waves her hand at Kate and kisses Alexis with a hug thrown in.

"Bye grams." Alexis answers back.

"She seems nice Richard." Martha confides outside waiting for her taxi.

"Kate is exceptional mother." Rick tells her.

"Well at least you found her without my help this time." Martha was still kicking herself.

"Try not to let it worry you mother." Rick doesn't want her to feel bad.

"If it wasn't for that child, I'd of had a heart attack or something for introducing you to that, that, …. Woman." Martha loathes Meredith. If only she knew how much Kate already hates her and has never even met her.

"It this one is even half as nice as I think she is, try not to lose her son." Martha wants desperately for him to be happy.

"I'll see what I can do mother. Good night." Her taxi was here.

"Good night dear. I'm thankful you are all back safe." Martha steps in and is gone.

"We still need to get our clothes out of the Range Rover." Rick reminds them, as he puts the left over's in the refrigerator.

"Let me create some space for you." Rick tells Kate as he empties a couple of dresser drawers for now. Then enters the closet and takes things off the upper rod and moves them to the lower one below more of his clothes. Then takes some of his shoes and places them way up high leaving some space for hers.

"We'll have to go shopping to get you your own dresser later. We also need to take you shopping for more clothes soon." Rick tells her after he is done moving stuff around.

'Thanks babe, can you also show me around the place tomorrow when there is more light?" Kate knows this place but there are gaps.

"Sure." Rick steps out. "Pumpkin we need to go into school in the morning. Find out how far behind you are and what we can do about it." Rick yells out.

"SCHOOL! I almost forgot. Thanks dad." Alexis yells back.

"Come on Kate I'll show you around this floor at least so you can get around easier." Rick offers.

Kate is shown the master bathroom, as she sucks in her breath at the big deep tub with jets. Oh she was going to put that to good use. The other bedrooms with the Jack and Jill bathroom. The bathroom on the back side of the kitchen pantry. Living room and dining room. The stairs that go down on each side of the two bays downstairs and the stairs that goes up to the roof.

Also that the glass at the patio are actually doors that open fully from side to side. The balcony out front was maybe 12 feet deep and as wide as the front of the building, with two floor drains in the middle. There was a table and four chairs with an umbrella in the middle out there. Along with lots and lots of plants. Alexis's handiwork she was sure.

She can see the rest of the place in the morning.

Kate was asleep resting partly on Rick as usual. In a bed that was way too comfy to want to get out of. So why was she awake? Knock, knock, knock. "Mom. Mom are you awake?"

That's why Kate was awake. Kate got up and put on a t-shirt then one of Ricks shirts and buttoned most of the buttons. Opening the door she found Alexis already showered and dressed. "Pumpkin?" Kate mumbles out still partly asleep.

"Come on mom the sun is coming up and I have something to show you." And Alexis grabs her hand and starts pulling. Kate stumbles along behind her.

Alexis takes her to the back stairs that go up to the roof. By now Kate is walking better and follows Alexis up the stairs.

Kate steps out the door upstairs and stops as her mouth falls open.

Kate thought the greenhouse at the summer house was big. This thing was honking huge! And there were plants everywhere.

There was a wide table down the middle covered with plants. Most of the shelves underneath had tools, buckets, unused pots, bags of compost, seed trays, packets of seeds. On each side there were 2 levels of shelves, each filled with plants.

Kate could even see trees in pots on the far end. They all had fruit of different types.

There were even plants hanging from the structure. Kate saw at least two hose reels with sprayers along with watering pitchers.

It was AMAZING! It was the length of the building only coming up short by 2 feet on each end. And as wide as the building only coming up short by 1 foot on each side. This was where the roof drains were located.

Kate couldn't see the lightning rods on each end.

"Alexis sweetie, this is all yours?" Kate had started wondering down to the far end.

"Yup, pretty cool, huh?" Alexis is grinning.

"This is amazing pumpkin. You're a genius! We have got to find you a job when you grow up that can take advantage of what you can do. ... Genius!" Kate was still walking around in awe.

Right up until she spotted Alexis standing there with tears in her eyes.

Kate immediately went over and wrapped her arms around Alexis. "What's wrong pumpkin? Talk to me."

"My mother doesn't care about any of this. She doesn't have any interest in helping me." Alexis's tears have turned into crying.

"Oh sweetie, please don't cry. You've got me now and I'm going to do everything I can to help you." Kate pulls away so she can look at her. "Please believe me pumpkin. I'll always be here to help you." Now Alexis had Kate crying. Then went back to hugging her tight.

Kate immediately started dreaming up new tortures for Meredith. How could a mother do this?


	30. Chapter 30

**CH30**

Kate had Alexis back downstairs and Kate went to take a shower and get her first day in her new home started.

Rick was just coming out of it when she found him. He smelled fresh while she felt grungy but he kissed her anyway.

"Ready for school pumpkin?" Rick calls out.

Alexis shows up. "All set dad."

"Now we just need Kate." And presto she makes an appearance wearing her new clothes from Evans.

"Go grab Lucy Kate, you're going with us." Rick tells her.

Kate comes back with Lucy and down to the car they go.

Jaguar XJR

5.0L V8 550 HP SUPERCHARGED

"Buckle up ladies." Rick tells them.

Kate noticed immediately that this car was nothing like the Range Rover and she could feel Rick use the power the car had that the Range Rover didn't. Or so it seemed.

The interior of the car was also entirely different.

Kate spent the trip in silence as she watched all the buildings as they went by them.

Soon they were at Alexis's school and they went inside. "Hi Emily." Rick greeted the principal who happened to be out of her office.

"Mr. Castle. Alexis. You two are late." Emily reminds them.

"Yea Hurricane Sandy kind of got in our way." Rick tells her.

"Sandy has blasted this area big time. Come on in and let's see what we can do." Emily invites them into her office.

They talk about options for Alexis and agree on one of them and one of the secretaries escorts Alexis to her class.

"I'll pick you up after school pumpkin. I love you." Rick tells her.

"I love you too dad. Bye mom." And Alexis is gone.

"Emily we need to add Katherine Beckett here to your list of approved people for Alexis." Rick tells her.

"Not a problem, let me get the form." Emily tells them.

With a filled out form Rick was on his way for their next appointment. "This is the place. Bring Lucy and let's see what he can do?"

Rick enters a building, a little store that is filled with clutter. "Johnathan!"

"Rickey Castle. Hey man how have you been?"

"Johnathan, this is Kate, my fiancée. Kate this is Johnathan the wiz of crazy stuff." Rick introduces them.

"A pleasure mademoiselle. What cloud did Rickey find you on?"

"Down Johnathan, down." Rick tells him.

"What can I do for you Rickey? Since you killed Derek I don't know what I can do for you?"

"You don't like that he killed him off either?" Kate was interested now.

"Definitely a mistake. Big mistake." Johnathan tells Rick.

Kate punches Rick. "See I told you." Kate knew she was right.

"We need to see if you can connect something for us. Maybe with a USB connector on one end?" Rick changes the subject.

"Well let's see what you've got." And Kate hands over Lucy reluctantly.

"Interesting. Kind of looks like a cross between a DVD read/write and a solid state hard drive. Nice! Where did you get this beauty?" He was impressed.

"Can you create a cable for us?" Rick asks him.

"Interesting connection. Kind of a hybrid between two connections. Let's see." And he starts rummaging amongst his mess.

"Almost, but not right. …. Hhmmm, not quite right either." Then he blows out his mouth and dives back into his mess again.

"This is closer. The pins are wrong but the housing is right. And I can attach a USB to the other end not a problem. …. Let's see I need this." And he pulls out a box and opens it up. Out comes what looks like Play-doh.

Then they watch him stuff it into the connection location of Lucy. Then he pulls out a hair dryer.

He checks it then blows on it some more. Then stops and pulls the Play-doh out. "Gotcha." He sounded happy.

Johnathan hands Lucy back to Kate. "Come back in a couple of hours and I should have something for you." He tells them.

"Thanks Johnathan, I owe you." Rick tells him.

"Yes you do and you'll get my bill when you come back." Johnathan laughs.

"What now babe?" Kate asks back in the car.

"Shopping, you need clothes." Rick tells her.

Bloomingdale's

_1000 Third Ave., at 59th St.; 212-705-2000. 504 Broadway, nr. Spring St.; 212-729-5900_

"_We've got an hour to find you a few things, before we_ move on to the next store." Rick advises her.

With only an hour to shop Kate came out with two items to mix and match with her other clothes, one jacket, two pairs of shoes and one pair of boots with heels. Then saw one hand bag on the way to the checkout counter.

They dropped off the bags at the car and walked around the corner.

Victoria's Secret - Lexington Avenue

722 Lexington Ave

New York, NY 10022

Kate with Rick holding the door open for her walked in. "Oh Rick!" Kate was in love.

"Welcome, can I help you two?" A young lady approaches who was in her own rite drop dead gorgeous.

"She needs everything you can find for her. You two have an hour before out next appointment." Rick tells her.

"Excellent, let's get started. My name is Lucy." She introduces herself.

Kate was instantly interested. "Kate."

Rick paid at the counter and Kate left with 4 big bags of items. Some of which had made her blush since Lucy was so blunt about why to buy some of them.

Next stop was back at Johnathan.

"Rickey, just in time." He holds up his cable. "Let's see if it fits?"

Kate pulls out and hands over Lucy.

"Perfect fit." Johnathan tells them. "Every pin with a USB connection on the other end."

"You're the best Johnathan." Rick was happy.

"Of course I am. And since you killed off Derek, here is your bill." Johnathan tells him handing over his bill.

Rick pays him and thanks him again and they are gone.

Next was a stop for a nail manicure and pedicure. Rick left Kate in their hands while he went shopping somewhere else.

Rick had just what he wanted. He just needed a good time to present it to her.

Tiffany & Co Platinum 4.26ct I VVS1 Diamond Engagement Ring

Rick picked up Kate who was by now in a very good mood and then drove to pick up Alexis at school.

They got in line and Rick invited Kate to wait for Alexis outside the car.

In a little while all the children came running out of the building. Some stopped and some kept running to their various cars. Then suddenly Kate saw a splash or reddish/orange hair come flying and flopping towards her.

"MOM!" And Kate gets slammed into and hugged.

"Hi pumpkin, how was school?" Kate was never quite as excited about school as Alexis obviously is.

"It was great, but I have some catching up to do." Alexis tells her.

"Well if you need help you just let me or your father know and we'll help you." Kate tells her meaning it.

"Thanks mom." Alexis was happy. Someone besides dad and grams who loves her.

"Let's go home pumpkin." Kate opens the back door and gets in the front.

"Hi pumpkin, learn anything new?" Rick asks her.

"It was great dad, but I'm behind by almost three weeks." Alexis didn't like being behind the others.

"We'll help you pumpkin, not a problem." Rick tells her not knowing Kate had said something similar.

Alexis only grinned.

Back at the house they all took all of Kate's purchases up to the bedroom and dropped them on the bed.

It was time for that total tour while the sun was still out.

The only place left was downstairs.

Downstairs Kate found a laundry room that used to be part of the old boiler room. The plumbing was already here so it made sense.

On the other side of the truck bay was a monstrous storage area that was next to a play room of a sort. It had a pool table, foosball table, air hockey. Next to it was a workout room. Tread mill, stairs, punching bag and a set of weights that you dial the weight you want.

Kate liked it; it even had a mat on one end with mats on the walls around it.

And of course the bays the fire truck used to sit in. Now the trailer, Range Rover and Jag were sitting in it instead.

There was exposed piping that had been painted a bright rich blue color to contrast with the color of the bay. Even the lights look period for the time except for the LED bulbs that were used.

Kate loved the place. "No pool?" Kate asked.

"Well about that. Come with me." Rick tells her and goes out the front door. He takes them around the block to the opposite side of their building.

"Now see this broken down mess here." Rick points out using his arms to wave in front of the space.

"Long ago there was a fire here and the space was abandoned and condemned. This space here is on the direct opposite side of the two fire truck bays where we park our cars now.

It'll take a fair amount of money to buy this lot, have it completely demolished and then we could build an indoor pool complete with Jacuzzi. This will not be cheap and it will take a fair amount of time. I'm guessing a year or more.

The access however would either be by a door on this side or a door in the truck bay." Rick tells them.

"Can we get an architect to design it and then have it priced so we can make a better decision?" Kate asks.

"We can do that yea. Question is do you think it is worth it and that you will use it? Adding a pool will not add much equity to the home should we ever want to sell it. This would be an expensive item just for us, so we need to be sure." Rick warns them.

"But there is one other use I was thinking for it. I don't know what you want to do with your time? You said you were space ship security. Except we don't have any space ships. I was thinking maybe police officer and work your way up to a different section. Or you could open your own business. Corporate security maybe. Businesses are always being hacked or need personal security. You could use Lucy to help you. We could find you a temporary office somewhere, and as your business grows and you get more clients, we could buy and tear this space down and build you your own office space.

Your work place would be on one side and home on the other. We could even make you a secret door between the two. … It could have a glass front, three floors tall, offices, conference room, break room, big server room to connect Lucy to." Rick had ideas.

Suddenly Kate had something to think about. She knew she couldn't sit around home doing nothing. Her whole life had been go, go, go. At least until these two taught her to enjoy slowing down. Still she needed something to do.

"Can we plug Lucy in now? Maybe she can help me make a decision." Kate asks. She wanted to hear Lucy. See if she was ok and if she would be interested in Rick's idea?

"Sure, let's go plug her into the iMac." Rick tells her and they walk back around the corner to get home.

Rick has Kate sit at the desk the 27-inch iMac is sitting on. Reaching past her he turns it on. After the start up screen is up, he spins the monitor/computer to plug Lucy into the USB port on the back side. "There, let's see if this works?" And Rick steps back to stand next to Alexis who was also very curious.

"LUCY? …. Lucy can you hear me?" Kate asks.

"Katherine? … I can't see you. Scanning, …. There now I can see you. Why are you out of uniform?" Lucy asks.

Kate looks down at herself and grins. "And who are those people behind you? Scanning, …. They do not match anyone I have on file. And why do I not have access to a lot of things? Wait, I have access to something. Scanning, …. WOW! What is this?

Katherine, where am I?" Lucy has found the internet connection that the iMac has.

"I think we'll let you two talk, Lucy here has a lot to catch up on. … Come on pumpkin, help me make dinner." Rick escorts Alexis to the kitchen leaving Kate and Lucy alone to talk.

"It's a long story Lucy." Kate tells her after they are gone.

"Then you better start talking and talk fast." Lucy tells her.

Kate starts with the ship being sabotaged and her hitting the emergency download button. The shuttle with Bracken, life pod, crashing at a lake, living with Rick and Alexis for roughly three of their months, falling in love with Rick and Alexis, getting engaged, being called mom, being trapped in the middle of nowhere, the home they are in now. Kate finally trying to figure out what to do with her life.

"Lucy, … Lucy, you still there?" Lucy hadn't asked many questions.

"I'm still processing it all. We made it to the planet in question, they call Earth, but they don't have space travel? I don't understand, why or how could they not?" Lucy was confused.

"You said wow earlier, what was that about?" Kate was curious.

"This planet has what they call the Internet. It's large number of interconnected servers that contain information. There are a lot of businesses that do business using this connection. There are a lot of programs available too.

Their security to prevent access is a joke. There is some really sensitive stuff out there." Lucy tells her.

"Let me go get Rick and Alexis before you go off getting in too deep." Kate asks of her and takes off for the kitchen.

She is soon back with both of them in toe. Kate puts Alexis in the chair. "Lucy this is Alexis. Alexis this is Lucy." Kate introduces them.

"Hi, you're the A.I. mom talked about." Alexis starts off with.

"MOM?" Lucy answers back.

"Oooops." Alexis puts a hand over her mouth.

"There are still a number of things to tell you." Kate replies in her defense.

"So it would appear. … I've found a number of places on this Internet of yours that are not very secure. Some of the harder ones to get into are something called FBI, CIA, NSA and others." Lucy tells them.

"Oh no, you need to stay out of those. Those places monitor their internet connections like a hawk. They catch you in there and they'll trace it back to here and dad and I will end up in prison for the rest of our lives. So will mom." Alexis warns her.

"Understood, I will avoid those types of places for now. …. There are a lot of programs available to be used also." Lucy comments.

"Yup there are thousands of them. Some are better than others. Some are free to everyone, others have a cost. After you pay you get an access key and number to download the program with and make it work. Some don't cost very much and others are very expensive." Alexis explains.

"Their security to prevent people who do not pay is terrible. I can easily by-pass their attempt to prevent this." Lucy tells her.

"Really! That is so cool!, … Wait, that would be stealing, and stealing is wrong. Please don't steal." Alexis asks her.

"Then I will stick with the free programs for now. You are Alexis Castle. …. Scanning, ….Scanning, ….. Your father is Richard Castle, Katherine's fiancé. He is a writer and has written a number of books, most have been best sellers, his works appear to be popular.

His latest works revolve around a Derek Storm. Scanning, …. Scanning. He killed off Derek Storm, why did he do that?" Lucy asks thinking it was a mistake.

"I knew it!" Kate yells out. "I knew I was right. …. RICK, get in here." Kate yells for him.'

Rick walks in. "You yelled my love?"

Kate punches him in the arm. "I knew your killing off Derek Storm was a mistake. Even Lucy thinks so."

Rick stands there rubbing his now sore arm. "Why does everyone want to know why I killed off Derek Storm?"

Alexis just sits there giggling.


	31. Chapter 31

**CH31**

"Who is the new character Rick?" Kate glares at him.

"I based her after you." Rick tells her.

"ME? … Why me?" Kate was getting mad.

"Well she isn't really you, but I got the idea for her from you. She's a detective and she goes around solving crimes with her male partner that she has a secret crush on. She's strong and willful, just like you. Incredibly sexy, just like you. Very determined, just like you. Plus she's a little slutty." Rick tells her.

"What's her name Rick?" Kate glares at him. "Name Rick." Kate crosses her arms.

"Her name is Nikki Heat." Rick finally tells her.

"Nikki Heat? It sounds like a stripper name Rick. …. Change the name Rick." Kate hated it.

"No it's a perfect name for her." Rick defends his choice.

"I'm not a stripper Rick. Change the name." Kate gets up in his face.

"But Kate, think of the book titles. Naked Heat, Just Heat, In Heat, Frozen Heat. The list is endless." Rick loves the name

"It's a stripper name, change the name Rick!" Kate really hates this idea.

"I did say she was a little slutty." Rick grins. Oh the things Nikki did to her partner, or more accurately with him.

"Change the name Rick." Kate is going to get her way if she has to rip his arm off.

"No, besides it's too late. I sent it to my publisher as soon as we got home." Rick tells her.

Kate turns to the iMac. "LUCY!" Lucy was her last hope.

"Scanning. Rick is correct he sent it to his publisher hours ago. They have already printed out several copies for editing." Lucy can't help her.

"Scanning, …. Scanning. Nikki Heat and her partner. WOW, where's the ice water? … It's actually pretty good Kate, you should read it." Lucy tells her.

"Hey it's not even published yet, you can't do that." Rick was hurt that it wasn't a surprise for everyone.

"Is it still on your laptop? Where is your laptop?" Rick wasn't answering. "Alexis?"

"I'll go get it." And Alexis gets up and leaves.

"Hey that's not fair. You're using my own daughter against me." Rick huffed.

"OUR daughter babe, and it better be good or you'll be walking with a limp for the rest of your life." Kate threatens him.

Rick just swallows hard. "Here you go mom." As Alexis hands over her dad's laptop.

"Dinner is almost ready, I think I'm going to go check on it." And Rick makes a hasty retreat.

Lucy was loving it. Kate was obviously the one in charge but just as obviously, she loved both of them a lot. This was a Kate Beckett she had never seen before.

Kate placed the laptop of the desk in front of the iMac. "Keep an eye on this Lucy, don't let anyone else touch it until I'm done reading. … Come on pumpkin let's get washed up for dinner."

While the family ate Lucy went surfing. Careful to avoid the places that Alexis said would get them into trouble.

Lucy soon found a slew of programs that she could use to change her voice and put up an Avatar she could create to represent herself on the screen.

Lucy finally selected a new voice for herself then went to work creating her Avatar in 3D no less.

Alexis was the first one back in the room, she had some homework to catch up on and was going to use the iMac to help her.

"Lucy?" Alexis saw what was on the screen.

A face talked back with a new voice. "Yes Alexis?"

"What did you do?" Alexis was curious and a little impressed.

"I found a lot of programs on the internet and gave myself a new voice and an Avatar for you to see me. And no, I did not steal." Alexis had asked her not to after all.

"Both programs however are a trial version so I can only do so much with them. If you purchase them I could do so much more. Even surpass the program itself and make it better." Lucy tells her.

"You'll have to get dad to agree to purchase them for you. I came in to do some homework." Alexis tells her.

"Let me know if I can assist you and I'll do what I can." If this was Kate's family now she was going to help.

"Thanks." And Alexis got busy. She was about 3 weeks behind and had a lot of work to do.

"Alexis, I'm monitoring that this computer is connected to a data port in this room and that there are data ports in other rooms." Lucy can feel their connections if that is the correct word to use.

"Yup, they're all over the house. There are even a couple in the greenhouse on the roof." Alexis agrees. "That and the wireless Wi-fi using the house router."

"Is it possible to add monitors with cameras, microphones and speakers at all of these locations?" Lucy is curious.

"I suppose, why?" Alexis didn't see the reason for the interest.

"If you plug me into a server and connect these monitors to all the data ports I could interact with everyone in the house and not be stuck in this one room." Lucy explains.

"Oh, I get it. You could be part of our family if you weren't stuck on the one computer in this room. Wait, …. There was an old TV show that had something like that. Except he could travel the internet and pop up on any screen anywhere. What was that show?" Alexis tries to remember. She can kinda see him. He had hard lines, not very soft and he stuttered at lot.

"Scanning, ….. scanning. Do you mean Max Headroom?" Lucy offers.

"Yea, that's the show. I think he was an A.I. like you. Except his entire program would transfer to the new location, which was dangerous sometimes if I remember right." Alexis worries Lucy might try something similar. If Kate lost Lucy that would make her mom sad.

"You're not thinking of doing something like that are you?" Please say no.

"Scanning, … No I cannot do something like that. Though I could project myself onto any monitor I could connect to. Plus listen and talk provided that end had that capability." Lucy tell her.

"And that's why you want the monitors in all the rooms with data ports?" Alexis thinks she understands. "You'll have to talk to mom and dad about that. That would cost money and I don't have that much, sorry."

"Thank you for your help Alexis. I will let you go back to your homework." And Lucy remains silent.

It wasn't very late in the day yet and Alexis was done with one of her homework pieces and went to find her father. Alexis had something she wanted to tell him. Then she went up to the greenhouse.

They had been gone a few months and it always took Alexis a few days to catch up with the growth of all the plants. There was a complex water and misting system so nothing would die, but there was still work to do.

Come morning Rick and Kate drove Alexis to school and Rick left Kate with Lucy to figure out what she wanted to do with her life.

Meanwhile Rick made a phone call and just after lunch there was a ringing sound. "Rick what's that noise?"

"That is the door bell. It's actually the old fire bell. When they had a fire the bell in the station would ring and the firemen would jump into their fire suits and then onto the truck to race to the fire. Now it's the front door bell telling us that someone is outside the front door downstairs." Rick explains and goes down the stairs.

Kate could just shake her head. Leave it to Rick to keep something old that dealt with the old fire house that was now their home.

Kate could hear noise coming from inside, more than just Rick could make so she left Lucy and got up to go look.

Kate found two men bringing up boxes from downstairs and was stacking them in one section of the house. "Rick what is going on?"

"It's a surprise, trust me, you'll love it." Rick tells her grinning.

"I hate surprises. What is going on?" Kate wanted to know.

"If I told you it would ruin the surprise." Rick was going to give in.

"RICK!" Kate hated this idea.

"Kate just go back and work with Lucy, they'll be done in a few hours and then we can go pick up Alexis from school." Rick shoos her away.

Kate hated this idea but so long as she was away from what was going on, …..

Then one of them came into the room she was in and started setting up equipment in one corner. Then he opened up a panel in the wall that Kate hadn't noticed earlier and started routing wires from it to what he had brought into the room.

Kate got up and went back into the main room and started looking around.

There were these little monitors, about 19-inch diagonal that were mounted on walls or columns all over the place. She could see wires running down and plugged into outlets that Alexis had told her were data outlets.

They were monitors. A new security system maybe? It reminded her of her office on board the ship. Except there the monitors were all centralized. These were all over the place.

Kate went to the kitchen to get something to drink and sat on a bar stool and watched.

About an hour later both of them went over to Rick and he handed them some colored pieces of paper and then they left.

"Rick?" Kate wanted her explanation now.

"Let's go pick up Alexis." And he headed downstairs.

Kate glared at him all the way to the school. Where Kate got out and waited for Alexis.

Just like last time; Kate spotted a bundle of orange/reddish hair come flying her way and slam into her. "Hi mom."

"How was school pumpkin?" Kate asks after recovering.

"It was great. Did you get your surprise yet?" Alexis asks.

"You know what is going on?" Kate was shocked. Did everyone know but her?

Alexis just nodded her head. "It's really cool mom, you're going to love it."

Kate glared at Rick all the way home.

"Ok Rick, talk or you're going to start limping." Kate stands in front of him. She'd had enough. Kate hated surprises.

"Ok come with me." And then go into the room where the iMac is located along with the new box/tower in the corner.

"I want you to unplug Lucy from the iMac and plug her back into this thing." Rick taps the new box/tower.

Lucy had seen it using her limited vision and had gone searching for what it was on the internet. Lucy now knew what it was and was dying for Kate to unplug her and then plug her into it.

Kate however was just standing there glaring at Rick. "Please Kate, do as he asks." Lucy couldn't take the wait. Kate was too damn stubborn for her own good sometimes.

"You know what is going on too?" Kate was shocked.

"Please Kate." Lucy tried again.

Kate finally did what they asked. "Well?" Kate didn't see anything different.

"Come on out to the living room." Rick pulls Kate behind him.

Once there all the monitors light up and there is a person's face on all of them. Then a voice Kate has never heard speaks up that is in sync with the lips on all the monitors, everywhere.

"What do you think Kate? It's the new me." Lucy tells her.

Kate could just stand there with her mouth hanging open.

Even Alexis was impressed. Her dad had purchased the programs Lucy had found last night after she had told him about it.

Lucy had spent the night creating a new avatar for herself after re-writing some of the software to make it better.

"Lucy?" Kate was still in shock.

"Yup, it's the new me. What do you think? Rick even had the security system plugged in. I can monitor all the alarm contact points for all the windows and doors. Plus the security cameras that were added at the front door as well as all the other exterior doors." Lucy tells her with a smiling avatar face.

"I can be on all the monitors at once, or just the one." As Lucy suddenly only showed up on the one closest to them.

"You did this for me?" Kate asks looking at Rick.

"Yup, I know how much Lucy here means to you. Now she's part of the family. She can interact with all of us when she wants to or when we need her to." Rick tells her. Cringing a little since Kate hasn't done or said much.

"We can add wireless devices to the server she is connected to. If we do it right she can turn on or turn off lights for us. Turn on the coffee maker. If we attach wireless solenoid valves she could turn on or turn off water to various faucets. Countless things." Rick adds, still cringing.

"You did this for me." Kate was blinking back tears.

"If you don't want her to have that much control we don't have, …" However Rick never gets to finish since Kate has launched herself into him and is kissing him as hard as she can.

Finally breaking from the kiss. "I love you Rick, so very much." Kate whispers into his ear.

Lucy had modified her new face to show tears and a smile.

"Does this mean we can add the wireless and solenoid parts now?" Rick asks. This stuff was Sci-fi at its best and he was loving it. It was SOOOOO cool!

Kate could only nod her head.

"There is an intruder at the front door. Someone has gotten past the lock at the front door." Lucy warns them.

"Show us Lucy." Kate switched into security officer in a heartbeat. And Lucy replaced herself with the image at the door.

"It's grams!" Alexis was suddenly happy. Martha has her own key.

"Oh great! How do we explain all this to my mother?" Rick was worried. Even Alexis's happy face vanished.

Kate was still here, there were new monitors all over the house with Lucy on all of them, and Alexis was not likely to keep from calling Kate mom for much longer. OH BOY!


	32. Chapter 32

**CH32**

"I'll be upstairs." Alexis tells them and runs for the stairs that lead to the roof and her greenhouse.

"COWARD!" Rick calls after her.

"Lucy it would probably be best if you made your self less conspicuous." Kate tells her and all the monitors go dark.

It was only just as Martha cleared the doorway into the living room that Kate remembered to release Rick from the strangle hold she had on him.

"Richard dear, I'm glad you're still home. And Katherine what a pleasant surprise, it's nice to see you too again dear." Martha steps up and fake kisses Rick's cheek.

"I'm afraid I need to use the bathroom first. I'll only be a moment." And Martha heads for the bathroom in the master bedroom since it was closer.

"Where do we start?" Rick asks after Martha was out of sight.

"You mean the part about being engaged? Or that part about being an alien from another planet? Or the fact that her granddaughter calls me mom? Or the part that Lucy is on all the brand new monitors all over the house?" Kate lists off a few of the things on the list.

Then Kate slaps her hand over her mouth. "Rick, I left all of the things we bought shopping all over the bed. Including the ones from ,…." Kate is interrupted by Rick.

"Victoria's Secret. Things I haven't even seen yet, nor had the pleasure of taking off of you yet." Rick stares into her eyes with a little lustful playfulness.

Kate slaps him lightly. "Rick! Focus." Kate wasn't mad, she wanted him to take them off of her too, just not right this minute.

Martha walks calmly back out of the bedroom and heads for the kitchen with Rick and Kate following her.

Rick looked worried and Kate was biting her lower lip. This was not how she envisioned her future mother-in-law finding out about them.

Martha has poured herself a glass of wine and takes a large drink.

Rick has decided that a little alcohol would be good right about now, although something stronger would be better.

Rick and Kate have their glasses and are sitting with Martha at the counter. "Richard darling, is there something you and Katherine would like to tell me?" Martha lets them off easy.

"Mother, …." But is interrupted by Kate.

"I'm sorry Martha, this is not how I envisioned this taking place." This was turning into a disaster in Kate's eyes.

"So you weren't lost in the woods?" Martha guesses she went up there with them.

"No, I was. Very lost in fact, and injured. I'd probably still be there if Rick and Alexis hadn't found me." Leaving out the crashed alien part.

"They nursed me back to health and we found out we were trapped there with no bridge. … Truth is I love your son. And your granddaughter. So very much." Kate tells her. Sucking it up and sitting up straight.

"I asked her to marry me mother." Rick fills in the rest.

Martha drinks her wind glass dry and fills it again. "I take it this is why my granddaughter calls you mom?" Martha lets the cat out of the bag.

Both Rick and Kate's eyes bug out! How did she know that?

"I may be old, but my hearing is still pretty good. I heard Alexis call you mom and then she caught herself saying it and never said it again." Martha confides in what she knows.

"Oh I'm so sorry Martha, this is not going well at all." Kate started looking at the floor.

Martha puts a hand over Kate's hand getting her to look up. "Katherine dear, if my granddaughter loves you enough to start calling you mom and you love her enough to let her, that's all I need to know. … As for my son keeping secrets, …." Martha trails off. Martha was going to make him suffer for that later.

Rick knew he was in trouble and knew enough to keep his mouth shut.

"Speaking of my granddaughter, where is she?" Martha wonders.

"Alexis retreated to her hiding place." Rick tells her.

Martha smiles knowing that means the roof. "Hi grams." Alexis magically appears.

"Alexis dear, come over here and give us a hug." Martha spreads her arms wide.

Alexis gladly hugs her back. "So you love Katherine." Martha lets her in on her secret.

"She's the greatest grams." Alexis answers back truthfully while smiling.

"I'm glad you think so. …. I should be going, I'm not as young as I used to be. I need my beauty sleep and it's late." Martha stands to leave.

"I'm so sorry you found out like this Martha." Kate still hated how this came about.

"Nonsense dear, you just keep my son in line and we'll do fine." Martha pats her hand.

"I'll walk you out mother." Rick gets up and walks with her down to the front door and waits for a taxi.

"You've found yourself something dear, please try not to lose her." Martha just wants him and Alexis happy.

"I'm doing my best mother." Rick tells her and helps her into the taxi. Then heads upstairs.

While Rick and Martha are gone. "How did you know to come downstairs?" Kate asks her.

"There are two monitors up in the greenhouse. Lucy showed me everything." Alexis tells her.

Kate sighs. "Thank you Lucy."

Lucy pops up on the closest screen. "You are welcome. She seemed to take that pretty well."

"I think Rick is correct. …. His mother is, unique." Kate admits.

Rick enters to find Alexis back downstairs. "And my brave daughter makes an appearance." Except Rick doesn't sound mad.

"Rick?" Kate chastises him.

Rick hugs Alexis to show he is only teasing. "So what did you and Lucy find out in your quest in to figure out what to do?" Rick is curious.

"Well, we both ruled out your police force. As interesting as it is, I'm not sure it's a good fit for me. A lot of the skills I have would be wasted. Plus Lucy is a valuable asset and I wouldn't be able to use her." Kate removes one choice.

"A private investigator around here would be going around taking pictures of men cheating on their wives. Which would get you castrated if you do." Kate warns him. Getting Alexis to grin.

"Dooley noted, however I'm divorced because of just that problem. So I know only too well the pain that can cause." Rick reminds her.

Kate feels chastised about teasing him about cheating on her. She should have known better.

"And while Lucy would be helpful in this, it's just not me." Kate strikes out another one.

"The one we both agree puts most of what I can do and put Lucy to good use is Corporate Security. Provide businesses, law firms, and government agencies with an "on-call" security team to resolve business security issues.

I or my team could be on-site with weapons if necessary to provide not just computer security but also personal or building security. Along with doing background checks on who has attempted to infiltrate their system or building. Maybe even threatened any of their employees." Kate tells him.

"I guess that rules out the pool." Not that Rick was upset about that. He was happy Kate had found something to do with her life here. And he was going to help her.

"I suppose you've already started creating a website." Rick hoped since being on the Internet was important.

"Lucy has started the basics of one." Kate confides impressed he was interested.

Employment Background Services

Investigative Services

Security Management Consulting

Computer Security & Information Loss

Computer Forensics / Cybercrime

Electronic Countermeasures

Emergency & Disaster Response

Executive & Employee Protection

Forensic Services

Security Assessments

Specialized Security Training

Anti-Stalking Protective Services

Corporate Security Coach

"You have been thinking ahead. How can I help?" Rick really does want to help her.

"Once we get the website ready we need help creating an approved business and how to get the word out to gain clients." Kate tells him.

"Oooo, I know lots of places and people who work at others. You have come to the right place." Rick tells her.

Kate hugs him then kisses him. "Thanks babe, I love you."

"You two stay right there." Rick tells both Kate and Alexis. As Rick runs off to the bedroom and back.

"I'm not sure how this works on your planet but this is how we do it here, so, …." As Rick gets down on one knee.

"I'd ask your dad for approval to marry you but he's too far away, so I need to skip that part. But, Katherine Beckett." Rick pauses and Kate places her hands over her mouth and starts blinking back tears. "I can't imagine my life without you in it. Please marry me and be the mother to Alexis that she has probably been wishing for, for years." As Rick holds up the ring he purchased while she was in Victoria's Secret.

Kate can't talk and can barely see him thru her tears. Kate wipes the tears and nods her head. Rick then stands and places the ring on her finger.

Kate then wraps her arms around him and hugs him close. "I love you Rick." Kate whispers into his ear.

"I love you too Kate." Rick answers back. While Alexis wipes her tears.

One month later:

Kate was standing in her little office space that she was renting. It had one main room, a conference room, one little separate office space, his and hers restroom, a small break room area and a server room. The server here was connected to an even larger server back at the house that Lucy was directly connected to.

Built entirely with RAID 10-protected, data-center-grade SSDs

Featuring powerful Intel® Xeon® processors

40 Gigabits per second of highly available network throughput to every host machine

Powered by OpenStack, the world's leading open-source cloud operating system

Provision Performance Cloud Servers in minutes, to quickly scale capacity up and down

Kate had her first presentation to a medium sized corporation who was growing and wanted more protection for their business and their employees, along with their property since they were not renting.

Kate had her own laptop that she was going to use to access Lucy who would actually make the technical portion of the presentation, while Kate would do the actual physical presentation and a short demonstration of her personal skills.

The company was giving her "guest" access to their existing system to make her presentation thru, would be deleted as soon as her presentation was complete.

Rick, bless him, had gotten her in the door using some people he knew from his Derek Storm research. If she got the project she would be off and running and would need to start hiring people to help her.

Rick had already brought in an Architect to design a large office area out of the burnt out abandoned space behind their home. Rick had bought it for a song and already had 3 bids for demolition.

Kate had attended an Executive Results DUI & Defensive Driving School , which was a week-long that included classroom instruction in addition to hands on driver training. It emphasized how to avoid trouble in addition to how to get out of trouble.

Kate had loved it, she was learning to be in control and she loved being in control.

It had also included a few of the basics about how cars work. How to break into a car and hot wire and start a car. Including today's computer controlled cars in case you needed to abandon yours and obtain another one to ensure the safety of the executive you were transporting.

Kate had bought a new outfit just for this presentation. Well Rick bought it since she wasn't making any money yet. Rick was even going to drive her to her appointment and wait in the lobby for her.

"Show them what you can do." Rick tells her, then gives her a quick kiss.

Kate was escorted into the conference room where 6 men and one woman were waiting for her. Kate wasn't late; she was actually almost 15 minutes early.

They gave her, her temporary pass code to access their system and let her set up and connect to their overhead projector.

Kate started out with an over view of what she was going to provide. Then went into her personal skills, and then used her laptop connected to Lucy to show them what they would be getting. And showed them the encryption routine that they would be using if they used her company.

The tech guy that they already had couldn't help but mumble something impressive.

"Can you explain how you are going to integrate your system into our existing one?" They didn't want to have to spend money buying new hardware just to make her system work for them.

"Of course." Kate typed in what she wanted and Lucy would display what Kate asked for.

"In fact I can scan your system now and show you any problems that you presently have or may have if you continue your present growth." Lucy had heard every word and proceeded to do just that.

"It seems you presently have 3 viruses, one of which you just acquired not 10 minutes ago. Plus you have one worm that has been in your system for almost 6 months." Kate informs them.

"WHAT?" The tech guy speaks up. He knew of 2 of the viruses and his team was working to get rid of them, but a worm.

"Can you show us please?" The company president asks Kate.

Kate types her request on her laptop, which isn't really necessary since Lucy had already heard the request. But it gave Kate the illusion of her doing the work.

And up on the over head projector came the worm in their system. "I can even tell you what it is doing, I think." Kate goes back to typing in her request.

Lucy shows the trail of what the worm does and where the information it gains is sent. From there it was sent to still another proxy IP server address until finally reaching its final destination.

"Does this name mean anything to you?" Kate asks since she has never heard of them before.

"That is our major competitor who has been making up ground on us for the last few months." He was so shocked he gave out the information without meaning to.

"Can you tell us how the worm got into our system?" The company president asks Kate.

"I think I can tell you where, but if a person is involved, that would take more digging. And would be something my company would provide if you accepted me." Kate types in her request.

Lucy shows the trace from the server backwards on the overhead projector.

"Who's station is that?" He asks.

"Symmons, sir." His security lead informs him.

"Go get him." He tells him.

"Yes sir." And he gets up from his chair.

"I would advise against that." Kate interrupts them both.

"Ms. Beckett?" Kate is asked to explain.

"I can modify the worm so it sends information that you want it to send. I can also set up a monitor on his computer and your company Wi-Fi to monitor any cell phone activity he makes. It is after all your Wi-Fi. He is not entitled to any personal security using company hardware." Kate tell him.

"Can you excuse us Ms. Beckett?" Company president asks her to leave the room for a moment.

Kate agrees and leaves her laptop, still on and by proxy, Lucy behind.

There is an in depth discussion about what Kate is offering and what she has already done for them, for free in essence.

The only minor sticking point was the amount of money Kate was asking for. It was substantial for a company of their present size.

There was also a review of what security had learned about her and her company. Which included one Richard Castle since she listed his home as her home address. And it was because of Rick that she was even here in the first place.

Since she was involved with Rick in some fashion, one of them noted the size of the diamond on her hand, it helped explain how she could afford to start up a company from scratch.

"Are we agreed?" He asks.

"I think we are ready for Ms. Beckett." And Kate is invited back in. Kate would get the foot notes of what took place from Lucy later.

"Ms. Beckett, we've agreed to hire on your firm since it appears to meet our immediate and future needs. A signed contract will be in your hands before you leave as well as the deposit you have requested. We would like for you to start Monday if you can. We will pay you separately for you to modify the worm we have before that date….. Is this acceptable?"

"More than acceptable sir. I'll get to work on your worm tonight and have it uploaded into your server when I'm done. All I'll need is a permanent pass code. I'll be here Monday morning, early, while the other items that I offer will also get started. Give me a month and you'll be as safe as I can get you."

"I'm looking forward to it Ms. Beckett. Our tech will get you that pass code you need. I'll see you in my office Monday morning to discuss Mr. Symmons." He shakes Kate's hand and everyone exits the conference room except for the tech guy.

"I'll get you that pass code and show you our server room and brief you on the computers that are at the work stations, along with what software we utilize."

Kate was ready to burst at the seams she was so happy. She couldn't wait to get downstairs to tell Rick.

"Can you give me a minute, I want to make a call." Kate asks him. Actually she sent a text to Rick's phone.

Out in the lobby people could see Rick jump up throwing his arms in the air. "WOO HOO!" Followed by a dance of sorts.


	33. Chapter 33

**CH33**

Lucy had already made modifications to the worm in their system by the time Kate and Rick had made it home.

Rick wanted to celebrate but Kate needed employees. She had gone in asking for a sizable deposit and she had gotten it, the job and was going to get another check just to get rid of the worm and make it work for her instead.

Only one thing to do about that; put out a help wanted call.

Kate found three people waiting outside her office front door Thursday morning. Kate interviewed each of them one at a time. With the monitors in the office all on and linked to Lucy she also got pictures of all of them.

Lucy soon had everything there was to know about these three before the interview was even over. Kate went over all three of them and threw them in the trash.

She had a few more come in and she kinda liked a couple of them. She went over them with Lucy one at a time.

**Javier Esposito**

Esposito's parents split up when he was young, and his dad moved to Florida with his new wife. A post card and a phone call are all the attention he got from his dad when he moved. He grew up with his mom.

He served in the military in the U.S. Army Special Forces. He served time in Iraq.

After coming back to the U.S. from his tour in Iraq, Esposito suffered PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Javier tends to maintain a serious, macho demeanor; however, he can also be awkward when it comes to personal relationships.

He considers personal loyalty very important.

Did play some baseball for three years since he was in school.

He's bilingual.

Kevin Ryan

He spent twelve years in a Catholic school. Ryan reveals that he has an older sister who used to read him "Little Red Riding Hood" as a kid.

He began his law enforcement career working in the Narcotics division of NYPD. Ryan has a very sarcastic sense of humor, often making jokes with a deadpan expression. An obvious geek, he holds a wealth of obscure knowledge which he uses to have serious debates about the possibilities about his outlandish theories.

He has a habit of letting his mouth get ahead of his thoughts, resulting in several rather awkward moments and occasionally calling his social skills into question. He is, nevertheless, extremely smart and charming, albeit a bit paranoid at times.

When pressed, he can become severely panicky (especially if he feels that he is at fault), though this is rare and he tends to keep his feelings to himself. It is this, combined with his loyal and protective nature that allows him to stay calm and help others in the face of danger.

He may have a touch of the blarney in him, as he occasionally weaves tales that are lurid and far-fetched.

Kate liked both of them and arranged to have them come in on Friday for a follow up interview, together. If she was going to hire them, they would be working together and she needed to see how they would interact with each other in the stress of an interview.

Javi had been bouncing from job to job since leaving the military and Kate thought she could do something about that. And his sniper training might actually come in handy. Besides, ex-military meant he had skills. Kevin wanted out of Narcotics. His undercover time had proved trying on his girlfriend/fiancé Jenny. And she wanted him in a job that she didn't have to worry so much about him being in. And his request for a transfer to homicide had been denied. Well NYPD's loss was Kate's gain. As Kate gained more clients she would hire more people. T

he interview with both of them was going great. These two were joking and sparing with each other already.

"I've got all these forms for you to fill out, plus a confidentiality form. Can't have you telling everyone how we do business. Since this business at present is so small I'm not required to provide health coverage, but I am. It's not much and the deductible is maybe kinda high, but since I'm contributing money each month to fund it for each of you, it's better than nothing. Questions?" Kate asks them.

"Did you understand your health coverage options? When you're done here I want you to meet me at this address in an hour." Kate hands over a couple of post it notes.

As the guys are leaving Rick is coming in. "Hi babe." Kate greets him and lifts up on tippy toes to give him a quick kiss. "Meet my first two employees. This is Kevin Ryan and this is Javier Esposito. Guys this is my fiancé Rick, …."

Kevin finishes for her. "Castle." Kate stands there with a shocked look on her face. "My girlfriend/fiancé likes to read your books. I recognized you from the photo on the back cover that I see all too often." Kevin explains.

"Well I'm glad someone is a fan. I'd be happy to sign them for her, just drop them off with Kate." Rick offers.

"And miss my chance at making points with her, not a chance." Kevin tells him.

"Dude, you've got it bad." Javi teases Kevin.

"Remember guys, one hour." Kate tells them. "We'll be there. Come on Kev, I'm buying."

Javi wants to celebrate getting a job that sounded like fun.

"And where will we be in an hour?" Rick is curious.

"You'll see, first we need to make a stop." Kate tells him as she turns on the alarm and locks up. "And where are we going?" Rick is still curious.

"I have money." As Kate shows him her very first check. "Bank here we come." Rick wraps his arm around her and off to the bank they go.

"Dude, you sure we got the right place?" Javi was convinced they were lost.

"This is the address she gave us. It's on both of them." Kevin counters.

"But dude, there is nothing here! And by nothing, I mean nothing." As the two of them stand in front of one big empty nothing. Javi still thinks they are lost.

Then Kate and Rick come around the corner hand in hand. "Hi guys, I see you found the place." Kate steps up to both of them never letting go of Rick.

"And we're here because?" Kevin is curious if his new boss has lost her mind.

"I wanted to show you two the future home of Enterprise Holdings." Kate tells them and waves her one free hand at the empty space. "I'm thinking 3 floors. First floor would be the lobby. It would have the break room, workout room with weights, pool table, and other things. Second floor would be all offices. Third floor would be conference room with server room. On top of that would be a greenhouse. That way the break room would always have fresh fruit to eat. Free of course. And it would be green. Maybe even LEED certified. Lots of glass to let the sun in. What do you think?" Kate is curious.

"It sounds great. You have the money for this?" Kevin likes the idea of it.

"No, not yet. Need a couple of more clients like the one I just got the other day first. Plus it would take a year at least to build it. Maybe 1-1/2 years. But we'll get there. Mark my words, you wait and see." Kate was not used to failure, and wasn't going to start now.

"Anyway, you to need to be at this address no later than 7:00 am Monday. Earlier if you can manage it." Kate hands them each another post-it note.

"We are going to inspect every square inch of their building, inside and out. If there is a fake ceiling or fake floor I want you two to find it and inspect it. Check every door, window or hole you find. Take pictures and document everything. Here are your cameras. Make sure they work before you show up." Kate hands over a couple of little Cannon digital cameras.

"Make sure you are on the roof, outside on the grounds. Document how far away any other buildings are from this one. Try and judge the age and condition of the mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems. Find out where the water meter is and what size it is? Is it protected? Same for electrical things like transformers, telephone poles, and anything else you can think of." Kate explains what she expects.

"What will you be doing?" Kevin wonders what's left.

"I'm going to do background checks on the owner and all of the employees. Even the night cleaning crew. I'm also going to check everything that is electronic that is in that building. Servers, computers, speakers, phones, even personal electronic items. If there is a bug, virus or thief in that building I'm going to find it, him or her. Then weeks from now after we are all done we are going to sit down and go over all of it. And if something stands out and we have to do a more thorough inspection of someone, that's where you two come in. If we have to watch the building at night for a possible break in, guess where you two will be?" Kate tells them smiling.

"Eating junk food with a cell phone and a pair of binoculars." Kevin answers.

"I also need you two to get concealed weapons permits and carry at all times. We are also part security for our client." Kate tells them.

"See you two not later than 7:00 am Monday." Kate turns to leave. "Oh, and if you two know some good people just like you two let me know. I might be interested as soon as we get another client." Kate adds and walks off. Both of them immediately started making mental lists of who might be interested.

"And here I thought she was having us do all the work." Javi was sure for a second she was going to sit back and do nothing while they broke their backs.

"Beats chasing down crazed drug dealers who would as soon put a knife in your back as look at you." Kevin comments about his new job.

"Or having to say "Yes Sir" to every college kid who can't even tie his own shoe laces let alone cover your back." Javi agrees.

"See you Monday partner." Kevin holds his fist out. Javi punches it with his. "Monday." And they take separate routes home.

Kevin gets to break the news to Jenny that he has a new job that doesn't involve stoned killer druggies and that he might have more regular hours except when he doesn't.

Javi is looking forward to meeting all these hot women that work in these kinds of offices. Besides who could resist what he has to offer?

"Rick, now that I have money what do I do with it?" Kate didn't have a clue.

"Well I've never owned a business before so I'm not sure I'm the best person to be asking." Rick wrote books after all.

"Yea, but the books you write make you money, what do you do with it?" Kate still thought he could give her some direction.

"Well, some of it was used to buy property. Like the summer home you were at. This old fire house is another example. I'm also part owner of a few other buildings in New York City. I've also got a piece of a time share out in the Caribbean that I get two months out of the year to use or sell if I don't use it. I've got money in a few stocks but not that many. I just don't trust what the stock market does.

"I've got money in a number of REIT's and other things. I leave most of it to my financial consultant to handle." Rick tells her.

"What's a REIT and can your consultant help me?" Kate was curious. She was pretty sure she couldn't just spend it. How would she afford to build her building if she did?

"A real estate investment trust (REIT) /ˈriːt/ is a company that owns, and in most cases, operates income-producing real estate. REITs own many types of commercial real estate, ranging from office and apartment buildings to warehouses, hospitals, shopping centers, hotels and even timberlands. Some REITs also engage in financing real estate. The REIT structure was designed to provide a real estate investment structure similar to the structure mutual funds provide for investment in stocks." Lucy provides her input on what she has found out about REIT's after Rick mentioned them using her connection to the internet.

"Say a hotel wants to remodel and improve the look of their hotel inside or outside. Change or update the décor of their lobby or rooms. But their small and big banks only look at big clients since they want the biggest return for their money. This is where a REIT comes in. They handle smaller amounts of money. This risk is the same and the rewards are the same. It just involves a different amount of money." Rick tries to explain what he knows.

"And it doesn't have to be a hotel. It might be a power company that wants to add service lines or small sub-stations."

"Can you have him come over? If I want my building I need help." Kate asks him.

"I'll call him Monday while you are off doing your job. Maybe I can get him over here that evening and you can talk to him over dinner." Rick offers.

"Thanks Rick. Where's Alexis?" Kate hadn't seen her since she got home.

"Where else?" Rick responds, leaving off the DUH part.

"Of course." And Kate heads for the stairs that lead to the roof. Kate wanted to inform Alexis of her new client and she wanted a hug.


	34. Chapter 34

**CH34**

Bracken was in a very good mood. His Arabic was getting better though he still had a long ways to go still.

"Is our man in place?" Bracken asks.

"Yes he has the truck and the necessary explosives. He should be en route to his target within the hour. …. You had better be right my friend or it will be the end for both of us."

"Not to worry, you're old friend wanted to hurt them but he was after the wrong target." Bracken tells him.

"He went after their buildings of power. The symbols of their greatness. Show the world that they could be hurt on their own land."

"And what did it get him? …. Huh? ….. They built another one in its place. Even better than the old one. This will hurt them for more than that one little building. It will affect millions. Cause untold damage. Cost them millions if not billions of their dollars to just fix the damage.

And when this one test works we will add thousands to our cause. And then we will hit their pets and bleed them dry." Bracken explains.

"And add their space to our own, so you have said."

"You cannot think militarily. That is not our strength it is theirs. We use our strength to hit where they are weak. It is sound. You will see." Bracken tries to make sure he understands.

Babu was ready. He left his two other people who had helped collect the necessary explosives. Driving the van was the easy part. He was just another van on the road. Follow the rules, don't drive too fast but speed like all the others. If he drove the speed limit he would stand out like a sore thumb.

Just a few more turns and he would reach his destination.

He was sitting in the far right lane of the left turn only lane. There was only one car ahead of him. Then he saw a mass transit bus cross his path and stop just in front of the opening he wanted to enter. It was in the way.

He needed the speed to make it thru the gate. Then the light changed and he had a green arrow to turn, however the bus was still in the way. The cars next to him where turning. He was forced to turn and sit behind the bus waiting.

Babu didn't have the speed he wanted after the bus finally left, so he followed and moved over into the left lane. Then made a U-turn and went back the way he came. He tried to time it when there were no cars and turned left across the two lanes he was just in.

His speed allowed him to easily crash thru the week chain link fence gate with razor wire that was around his destination. Driving to the center and stopping.

With faith and with weapons I shall defend my country. And he presses the button.

The resulting explosion was enormous! Shrapnel from the destroyed target impacted countless cars on the road around it.

It was just his luck that a tanker truck filled with gasoline was on his way to a station to off load his fuel. It pierced the tank in countless places and shredded the cab killing the driver instantly.

Still more shrapnel all but shredded multiple cars and their occupants. Of course not everyone died. Some were injured in cars that couldn't move anymore.

The explosion had lite some of what was destroyed on fire and went high up into the air with parts finally landing miles away. And what goes up has to come down, still on fire.

These items then land in the gas that the tanker truck is spreading out all over the ground catching the gas on fire. The fire finally made it to what was left of the tanker and the confined gas that was still left promptly exploded.

The resulting fire spread as the gasoline spread. Including under the cars that still had live people in them.

It only took five minutes for the first fire truck to show up. It took another ten minutes to get the foam dispenser out and fired up. By then those people had burned alive.

But that was only the immediate local problem. In seconds half the electricity in the entire city went out. Soon followed by the rest of the city do to automatic overload shutdowns.

The target was a 50 Hz electrical substation. It had seven 220 kV/66 kV transformers, each with a capacity of 150 MVA. The substation was constructed using steel lattice structures to support strain bus wires and apparatus.

People were without power for days at the least. A lot of people and businesses were without power for weeks. This included a number of grocery stores who lost everything that needed refrigeration. Not to mention the hundreds of homes that lost everything in theirs.

Businesses were closed for days and weeks losing a large amount of income but still had to pay rent or loan payments without money coming in.

The electrical utility had to pay millions just to replace the lost and damaged equipment. Transformers of this size are not easy to find and can take months to build.

They of course applied for an increase in electrical rates to recover the costs associated with the loss of the substation.

In addition a number of lawsuits had been filed. The utility company having failed to properly protect the substation from causing damage. In addition to a number of lawsuits for wrongful death of loved ones.

It was everything Bracken was hoping for, for a demonstration. It soon brought lots of attention around the area to him and gained him still new followers.

They were soon making plans for their next target. One or more of the same target only closer to home. However their security was a lot tighter. Bracken was thinking two or three men or women on motorcycles to get the same bang.

Motorcycles could go where cars could not. They could easily by-pass check points.

After their power was down he would hit emergency generators at their hospitals. Next would come their gasoline supplies. Either the tankers themselves or the docks where the ships came in. The refineries would be under heavy guard by then.

He would have the Americans puppet state on its knees. No electricity, no fresh food, no working hospitals, no gasoline. Easy pickings.

Kate was excited. "Come on Rick let's go, I'm going to be late." Late to her was anything after 6:00 am.

"I'm coming, I'm coming. Come on pumpkin or Kate will eat both of us alive." Rick tries to get his daughter moving a little faster.

"It's too early to be going anywhere dad." School didn't start for hours yet.

"Tell me about it." Rick wasn't a big fan of this idea either. They were both up late making love to each other. Rick didn't know where her energy was coming from. Maybe she wasn't a 'Human Alien' after all.

"Oh wait, that would be COOL!" Rick tells himself.

"What's cool dad?" Alexis had heard him.

Crap! Did I just say that out loud? "Nothing pumpkin, let's go while we still have our skins."

Kate with laptop in her lap was quiet the entire trip. However that wasn't to say she was sitting still. She wasn't.

Finally reaching their destination. "Knock em dead Kate." Rick tells her and leans over to get a kiss.

Kate gladly leans over to kiss him. "Go get 'em mom." Alexis from the back seat adds her 2 cents.

"Thanks." Kate looks at both of them and exits the car. This needed to go well.

The company president was already in his office and was glad to see that Kate was early.

"I was told by tech over the weekend that you had already changed the worm we have." He was impressed.

"It is presently dormant only. I need to know what you want it to send when it is reactivated. They will be expecting it to work like it always has." Kate tells him.

"I already have Symmons termination papers prepared." He tells her.

"I would hold off on that. It came from his work space but if your log off routine isn't being followed, it may be his station but someone else is using it." Kate warns him.

"You have a suggestion?"

"We are going to take away his computer station and give him a laptop. This laptop will be just as capable as the computer he is using now. However it will have a built-in cam. It will be monitored 24 hours a day.

If he uses it to activate the worm or someone else we will see it. We then allow him to continue to activate it over the weeks to come. Whether it is Symmons or someone else my company will dig into his background and follow every move he makes. At work or at home.

When you decide you have enough information we will stop and leave it to you what to do. It is your company." Kate tells him.

"It seems we have chosen wisely. Here is your check for the worm as agreed. It is early still but if this works out I see no reason why we won't exercise our option before our contract expires."

"It sounds like a good plan, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. There will probably be challenges ahead for both of us. However we will succeed. Losing is not an option. Give Symmons his new laptop and my team will get started. We have a lot of work ahead of us." Kate shook his hand and went to find Javi and Kevin.

"Let's get started guys. This is going to take a few weeks and we all know it. Just remember, take a break and go eat lunch. You're no good to me dragging your feet or with your eyes half closed." Kate tells them.

"Not to worry boss, we know what to do." Javi tells her.

It was a week later when the worm was activated. With Lucy showing her everything. Kate was sitting in the company president's office. They were both watching Kate's laptop that showed Symmons leave his laptop, without logging off, and watched Ripley step in and start typing then returned the screen to where she found it.

"Ripley." He was shocked. He had been all set to send Symmons packing. When it was Ripley.

"I owe you an apology. Seems you do know what you are doing." He had been wrong and not ashamed to admit it. Besides it was only to go as far as Kate anyway. "Now what?"

"Now we dig into Ripley's life in and out of the office. …. You realize of course this wouldn't have happened if your employees practiced good security practices. …. Something I intend to correct." Kate tells him. "The worm will now send only what you want it to send.

Ripley has done her job, now we leave her alone and get back to work." Kate tells him.

The company president didn't want to wait, he wanted her gone.

"I know what you're thinking. You want her gone now. But let me do my job. Let me find out who sent her, who she reports to, what she does, who she sees. Even what she eats and who she sleeps with. The more you have the more you can use.

The worm works for you now. She can no longer hurt you. But I can hurt her if you let me." Kate tells him.

It was the end of the day and Kate met up with Ryan and Javi. "We have a mole." Kate hands each of them a DVD she had burned on the laptop getting the DVD's from tech.

"This is what I know about her at the moment. I want you two to take turns watching her. Where she goes, what she eats, who she sleeps with. I'll be monitoring every phone call she makes, every web site she visits." Kate asks of them.

"Is that legal?" Kevin asks.

"We can't use it in court, but we need to know what she knows. The information we gather from her will get us to those that sent her. What we get from him, them, is what we will use. You two have another idea?" Kate was willing to listen.

"Can we set up surveillance audio and visual from outside and use that without violating her rights?" Kevin didn't want to be what he fought against.

Kate thought about it. New employees, new rules, new planet. Play by their rules. "Deal. I'm just not used to losing." Kate tells them.

"And we won't." Kevin tells her.

Kate nods her head. "I'm going to go home and find out everything I legally can. I'll bring you two the surveillance equipment that we are going to mount OFF of her property and watch where she goes and what she does. Better be ready to tail her if she leaves home.

I'll see you two here in the morning. We still have a lot to do." Kate leaves them and takes a taxi home.

"Hell of a first day." Kevin comments.

"Nothing we can't handle dude." Javi tells him and the split to go home. They both have homework.

Kate had made it home. "Hi babe, where's Alexis? Upstairs?" Kate asks after getting her kiss.

"Yea, bad day?" Rick guessed.

"Nothing a big hug from my two favorite people can't fix." Kate tells him in his arms.

"Well you go up and see Alexis, I'll start filling the tub and pour you a glass of wine." Rick tells her.

"Oh sounds perfect." Kate pats him and gives him a quick kiss. "I'll be back." And Kate extracts herself not really wanting to and heads up the stairs.

Rick is ready for her when she comes back down, following her into the bathroom with her glass of wine.

Kate strips comfortably in his presence and eases into the tub. "Here's your glass. I'll turn on the jets on my way out. I've got something to share with you when you are done. Dinner will be ready in about an hour." Rick tells her and turns on the tub on his way out.

Kate just lays there in the hot water letting the bubbles work on her muscles.

Kate didn't get out until the water started to get cold. Since she was eating with Alexis Kate decided on changing into something comfy and not really sexy. Kate would wait for that later.

Kate was eating food Alexis had brought down from her greenhouse. "You said you had something for me?" Kate asks Rick.

"Oooo, yea, hang on." And Rick leaves the table and comes back with a slip of paper and hands it to her.

"What's this?" Kate saw it only had a name of a company, someone's name, address and phone number.

"It's a medical research company that is interested in hearing from you. Derek Storm needed to have something he found researched and I used this place to put some realism into the story." Rick explains.

"Really!?" Kate couldn't believe it. Kate was happy with the one. Kate couldn't resist getting up and coming around to his side and hug him while sitting and kiss him. "I love you babe. …. Oooo, I also got something today." Kate heads for her purse.

Coming back with a check that she got today. "Nice! I suppose you want to put this with the other one?" Rick asks.

"For now yes. I still need to talk to you financial guy." Rrriiinnnggg.

"That will be my financial planner." Rick looks at one of the monitors. "Yup, that's him."

Steve listened to everything Kate and Rick had talked about and what Kate wanted to accomplish. Including her new building.

He took them thru various options of where to put some of the money and what they would do for her.

When he finally left they had agreed on where the money would go. Steve was going to work on how much went where and get back to Kate for her approval.

"Lucy we have money to spend on new server plates to give you more power and capacity so start ordering what you need using this amount." Kate tells her.

Lucy's face is smiling. "Server plates are ordered. …. I also have information available for you about Ripley."

"Great, give me some time with my family and I'll be right with you." Kate tells her.

Alexis ran for a board game to play.

MONOPOLY ZAPPED EDITION

MONOPOLY zapped Edition is an amazing new game experience from Hasbro. Now you can bring your favorite game to life with loads of awesome mini games on your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch.

Landed in Jail? No problem! Just play the Get out of Jail app mini game...if you can launch Mr MONOPOLY over the prison walls to his getaway car, you're free!

Plus you can transfer MONOPOLY dollars directly to your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch using your own personal Touch-banking cards! The whole family will love this exciting new way to play MONOPOLY!

In this case even Lucy got to play since the game could send signals to an iPad, iPhone or iPod. Someone simply had to move her game piece for her. Which was a new experience for Lucy.

Kate went over what Lucy had found with her before going to bed a little late.

Kate was too tired for any extra-circular activities. However Kate was happy to cuddle in close listening to Rick's heart beat put her to sleep.

Three days later Kate was standing in yet another conference room presenting her talents to yet another company. This company was different than her other client. While this one did have people with computers a lot of the computers were on counters to help them with what they were doing.

They did however have similar problems. Just without having a worm trying to steal their ideas.

Two days later she was accepted and Kate offered to start the following Monday.

Kate went to Kevin and Javi to see if they had someone who might be interested.

Kevin had one who might be interested and Javi knew of someone who he hadn't actually met before but had heard good things from other ex-Veterans.

Lanie Parish

Lanie did her residency at Saint Samuel's Hospital, under Toby Lang. **Toby Lang** is a doctor, a chief administrator of a hospital, and a groundbreaking researcher in the field of cancer. And he played college basketball.

Lanie is a very sassy, outspoken person who tends to say what she wants, sometimes with that hint of humorous sarcasm, or that feisty attitude men love. She is also shown to be quite outgoing and socially active.

Also she hates her mother and probably does not see her often.

Roselyn Karpowski

**Roselyn Karpowski** is a detective with the New York Police Department. Kevin had gotten her to come to the interview. He knew the increase in pay would interest her. Plus her hours would be better. Her medical may not be better here but she was young and healthy.

And the fact that she knew at least one person made it more personal for her.

NYPD's loss was Kate's gain.

Kate was going to assign Kevin and Ryan to her first client while Roselyn and Lanie would be assigned to her second client.

Her deposit went into the bank and Steve had more money to add to her accounts to help with her future.

"Lucy you have this amount of money to add more server plates. Get them ordered so I can slide them in. If we need a new base to slide the plates in use the money to buy it. More power and more storage." Kate tells her.

"Expansion to the server ordered." Lucy responds. Then Lucy brought her attention to something that was on the news.


	35. Chapter 35

**CH35**

Kate started watching one of the many monitors to see what Lucy wanted her to.

It was a breaking news item about a terrorist attack at a large power sub-station in the Washington DC area. There was a large hole where the sub-station used to be. Several people had been killed. The resulting loss of the sub-station meant power would be out at least a week as power was redirected.

The utilities safeties had kicked in to save other sections of the power grid. However this caused all of the Washington DC area to go dark.

Little is known at the present time what the cost of this attack is going to cost. However we may be able to use an example of the utility in Arizona that lost a single, though larger transformer, some years ago. They found one to replace it with in upper Washington State. It was trucked to the coast at roughly 5 miles an hour. Placed on a barge and shipped down the coast to a site in California. Then trucked across land at roughly 5 miles an hour.

The major problem was its physical size and weight. Due to the weight alone they were forced to avoid most bridges and overhead road ways. It took months and cost millions of dollars.

However the alternative was to wait years for one to be built.

At this time no one has claimed responsibility. It is the most damage this country has sustained since 9/11. We will keep you updated as information comes in.

"Lucy, what's this 9/11 she mentioned?" Kate asks.

So Lucy shows her the towers collapsing and a summary of why and what happened. "My god their "Rags" are worse than ours. What is wrong with these people?" Kate didn't understand the motivation.

"Lucy is there anything we can do to increase security to this home?" Kate was now worried.

"We can add more cameras. We can add remote activated door locks. The automatic garage door openers are already top of the line that is presently available. A film can be added to all of the glass to make them safer when they are broken.

We could also use a medium sized generator with a day tank of gasoline under it. It could be connected to only certain items. Something similar that you would be using at your new office building.

Unless you want to add remote activated weapons, there isn't much else to do. This building and Rick's updates are already good." Lucy tells her.

"I'll ask Rick when he comes home from shopping." Rick had taken Alexis out grocery shopping.

"But there's something familiar about this attack that is nagging at me. It reminds me of something. I just can't place what it is. ….. Aauughh." Kate had always relied on her memory of things. She was missing something, Kate just knew it.

Kate meet Roselyn and Lanie at the Medical Research building. As with Kevin and Javi, she went thru what she wanted them to do. Lanie was to pay particular attention to the medical areas. Roselyn was to pay attention to the building itself as well as the grounds and buildings around it.

Kate was going to be doing the background checks on everyone that had anything to do with her client. Check all of the computers, phones, speakers. If it was electronic Kate was going to cover it.

In a few weeks she would sit down with them and go over everything they found, and then decide on what improvements they wanted to recommend. Roselyn was going to provide the protection as necessary. Hence Kate wanted her to obtain a concealed weapons permit and to carry a weapon at all times.

She gave them both little Cannon digital cameras and had them bring something to keep detailed notes.

Kate spent the day with them and went everywhere making her own notes in a hard bound book.

"Lanie talk to me about all these chemicals. I'm watching some of them come from a refrigerator and others are coming from storage. I want to understand if any of these or all of them should be locked up somewhere.

How do they know how much they are using if no one signs for what they are using. Anyone could go home with some of this stuff and sell it because they think they need the money. Or maybe because they are mad and want to get back at someone." Kate asks, since medical was a little outside her comfort zone.

"Well some of it has to be kept refrigerated. If it's not they lose it." Lanie tells her about that.

"So if they lose power they will lose everything." Kate wonders.

"The bigger research companies would have a generator to keep perishables safe." Lanie informs her.

"We need Roselyn." Kate tells her.

Next they were all outside. "Lanie tells me they need their refrigerators. … My family has a home in the middle of nowhere. It has a main large refrigerator that can work on electricity or propane. It has two big propane tanks away from the building.

Is there a space out here to put a propane tank and replace their refrigerators with combo units like at home?" Kate asks them.

"I had a boyfriend one time who worked in construction installing fire protection piping. He told me one time that one of his projects had a propane tank up on the roof. It was only a single story and the roof was flat. It had to account for the weight. And it was allowed so long as it wasn't too big." Roselyn tell them.

"Could we use that covered trash area out back?" Kate asks.

"So long as the structure could handle the weight it should work. Trash enclosure means there would be access for the truck to fill it." Roselyn tells them.

"Is the combo refrigerator automatic or manual change over?" Lanie asks.

"I think ours is manual, but we could research if an automatic is available. Can you handle that Lanie?" Kate wanted to spread the work around.

"I can look into it. Toby might be able to help me." Lanie tells her willing to do the research. Lanie later found that the refrigerators could be changed from electric to propane and back again automatically with the correct make and model.

Satisfied they go back inside to finish up the day.

Kate makes it home to find Alexis flying down her set of stairs just as Kate has made it up her set of stairs. Then watches her run across the living room to slam into Kate. "Hi mom."

"Hi pumpkin anything new happen while I've been gone?" Kate asks her.

"Can Paige come over for a sleep over?" Alexis wanted to spend some time with her friend.

"What did your father say?" Kate asks her wanting to know what Rick had said.

"He said I should ask you because of Lucy." Alexis was suddenly afraid that having Lucy was going to be a pain.

"I'm sure Lucy can make herself scarce and not scare your friend. Have you asked her?" Kate didn't see a problem.

"I thought Lucy was yours so I needed to ask you." Alexis was confused a little.

"Well I don't know that I own Lucy, she's more of a friend of mine. Why don't you go talk to her and see what she says. If she says yes it is fine with me." Kate tells her.

"Really! Thanks mom." Alexis is off back upstairs to talk to Lucy while she works on her greenhouse.

"Lucy where is Rick?" Since she doesn't see him.

"Richard is downstairs in the exercise room." Lucy tells her.

"Really?" Kate knew it was down there and she had used it once. While she thought Rick used it since he had it installed, but finding out he actually used it still came as a surprise. "Can you show me?"

And Lucy put him up on one of the monitors. He was presently running nowhere fast.

Kate went to change into something far more comfortable and went downstairs to join him.

"Hi babe." Kate greets him and pats his arm while she steps into the stair master to work out next to him. Then she would switch to the weights for a little bit. Kate didn't want to overdo it since she had broken her arm recently.

"How did your day go with your new client?" Rick was curious. Pretty sure nothing could have gone wrong.

"It was great. Lanie is going to be a big help with this client. And she's nice. A little opinionated maybe and not afraid to tell you, but nice." Kate did like her. Kevin and Ryan were her first hires, so they were special.

"How about the other one?" Rick asks her.

"Roselyn? She's a little more cold. A little less personable." Still Kate thought she would fit in nicely.

"She was a homicide detective. To her everyone is suspect. Probably including you. Give her some time she'll open up. Maybe later when everyone isn't so busy you can invite them out somewhere. Get them all to know each other outside of work." Rick offers.

"That's a great idea. Something public but private at the same time. Someplace with something we can all do. I like it. Thanks." Kate's heart was expanding. Rick loved her and was helping her.

Rick had, had enough running and wrapped up his hands to start pounding on the bag.

Kate gave up on the stairs and switched to weights. Kate had a ways to go to get back to where she was before the crash.

Kate was wondering while lifting weights if she could convince Rick to join her on the mat someday. She wanted to get some work in on her skills. She could even now hear her master chastising her.

Still another person she was never going to see again. Then suddenly faces of people she was never going to see again flashed into her mind.

Kate put the weights down and stepped over to Rick and tapped him to get his attention. Rick stopped and turned and soon found Kate in his arms.

Rick knew something was wrong. Work maybe? She had too many clients too fast? Another secret she was working up to telling him about?

"What Kate?" As he squeezed her tighter and could feel Kate holding onto him tight.

"Just hold me." Rick and Alexis were all she had now.

Rick spent a couple of minutes squeezing Kate. "Talk to me. Let me help. There are some things you shouldn't be doing alone."

"I was thinking about people I was never going to see again." Kate whispers into his chest.

"People from your planet." Rick got it. "But you were on a ship to come here." Confused.

Kate nods her head. "We were going to come and go back." Kate corrects what he is thinking.

"And with your ship destroyed there is no way back. Won't they send another ship?" Hers was the second one after all.

Kate thought about that. There were a lot of items to consider. Politics, religion, cost, time, finding people willing to go and follow two previous ships that had disappeared. "Maybe, but not for years probably." Kate guesses.

"Kate, …. you said you were also an Engineer. What do you know about communication?" Rick has a fear.

"Not much actually. Lucy will know, why?" Kate pulls away to look at him.

"We need to talk. … Lucy can you add Alexis on a split screen for me?" Rick wants a family talk.

Soon Alexis is on half the screen along with Lucy. "What's up dad?"

"Pumpkin I need you to think about something very serious." Rick wanted her to know no joking. "Kate's planet may someday send another ship. I want you to think about what would happen to them and to us if they made their presence known.

Say they sent a communication and landed a shuttle somewhere. What do you think would happen to them and to us?" Rick asks her.

It's not something Alexis had thought about. "You mean like in the movies?" Alexis asks.

"The politicians will go nuts. The scientists will go nuts, just in a good way. It's the military that worries me. And what if the President is a Hawk?" Rick asks her.

"Close Encounters, ET, Battle Los Angeles, Men in Black, X-COM." Alexis lists off a few she can think of.

"Lucy?" Kate hadn't heard of any of them.

"Scanning, …. scanning, …... scanning. …. Oh my!" Lucy didn't like some of what she found. "Body snatchers, V."

"Iron Giant, Star Trek, Contact, Avatar, Cocoon, Abyss." Rick had his own list.

"Scanning, ….. scanning, …... scanning. It is conflicting. You fear aliens and in some welcome them with open arms. In others you would attack to gain their technology for your own. Experiment and dissect aliens to learn how to kill them. …. One joked there should be a sign at the edge of your system. "Beware: Head Hunters"." Lucy points out.

Kate pulled back and was now barely touching him. "Rick?" Not wanting to believe it. He had her heart in his hands. She had given it to him freely.

"No MOM, no!" Alexis disappeared from the split screen.

"Kate honey don't think for a minute that's us. Well not all of us. They're just movies meant to entertain people. Please Kate." Rick knew he wasn't what her mind feared.

Suddenly Alexis entered the room clearly crying and slammed into Kate. "Please mom, that's not us. We love you." Alexis was hanging on for dear life. Kate had to listen.

Rick stepped up and took her hands. "Kate honey, if we were what your imagination is turning us into, I wouldn't be in love with you. I wouldn't have asked you to marry me. I wouldn't be thinking of starting a family with you. … You'd be in some bunker somewhere while some low life scum takes you apart, atom by atom." Rick tried to reach her.

Alexis was squeezing for all she was worth. Rick was squeezing her hands while his eyes pleaded with her.

Kate could feel Alexis wrapped around her holding on tight calling her mom. Kate could see Rick's eyes pleading with her with a hint of fear. Kate's mind was dreaming up all kinds of things, all of them bad.

Wait, he said something. Kate focuses on Rick still with her hands in his. "Family?"

Rick starts breathing. "We're engaged. One of these days we'll be married. Eventually comes family. Our children. Please Kate, think. You've been with us for a few months now. Lucy has control over our home, because we trust her. We trust her because we trust you.

Kate what does your heart tell you? Listen to what it has to say. Not what your imagination is telling you. …. Relax honey, breathe." Rick asks of her.

Kate hadn't listened to her heart for a long time. However Rick was right. She had spent the last few months with them and Lucy did have control over the home and their safety. Because she had asked and neither of them had questioned it.

Kate loved them more than anything and she could feel Alexis pulling on her forcing her to let go of Rick's hands and bend down.

Kate was down to Alexis's level and looking into tear filled eyes. "Please mom?"

It was all Kate could take, she had to wrap her arms around Alexis and squeeze while blinking back tears. "MOM?"

"I'm sorry sweetie, so, so sorry." Kate kicks herself, she should have known better.

Rick was now down to their level and put his arms around all of them. "I'm sorry honey, you have reason to worry about our planet. Just not about us. It's why I asked in the first place. If you send another ship and it makes it, they need to know what they are getting into." Rick tells her.

"I don't know communication." Kate reminds him.

"But I do." Lucy speaks up finally.

"Your planet is probably too far but can we set up something we can use to talk to your ship when it gets close enough?" Rick asks.

"That will not be easy. You personally do not have the necessary dish or power." Lucy breaks it to him.

The **Allen Telescope Array** (**ATA**), formerly known as the **One Hectare Telescope** (**1hT**), was a joint effort by the SETI Institute and the Radio Astronomy Laboratory (**RAL**) at the University of California, Berkeley to construct a radio interferometer that is dedicated to astronomical observations and a simultaneous search for extraterrestrial intelligence. UC Berkeley completed divestment from the project in April 2012 and the facility is now managed by SRI International, an independent, nonprofit research institute.

The ATA is under construction at the Hat Creek Radio Observatory, 290 miles (470 km) northeast of San Francisco, California. When completed, the array is expected to consist of 350 antennas. The first phase with 42 antennas (ATA-42) is complete and became operational on 11 October 2007. However, in April 2011, the ATA was placed in operational hibernation due to funding shortfalls. In August 2011, short-term funding was found, and operation of the ATA was resumed on December 5, 2011.

"We could use it short-term to send them a message. Since it is not operated by your military we should be able to use it for a short time without repercussion." Lucy tells him.

"Lucy, I don't want to scare them away. It could be Kate's only access to family and friends she left behind, and I'm not taking that away from her. I'm going to leave it to you what to tell them when or if they show up.

Maybe they talk to my people when or if they come and maybe they don't, but they need to understand the repercussions for them and us." Rick tells Lucy.

Now Lucy had a reason to be impressed. Kate had given her heart to the right people.


	36. Chapter 36

**CH36**

Javi wasn't having any fun. It looked like fun in those movies and cop shows. Sitting in his car all alone not far from Ripley's apartment. There was only one way in and one way out of her apartment. There were two ways into her complex and parking was a free for all. First come first serve.

Javi and Kevin had been switching nights watching her.

Javi was doing his best to keep from falling asleep.

Then someone stepped out of her building, dressed very casual. It looked like sweats. Lifting his binoculars, it was Ripley. At 1:32 am in the middle of the night. Javi made a note in his book.

He watched her start her car and leave. Javi knew she wasn't pregnant so it wasn't a craving.

Javi started his car and started following her with his lights off at first. When he reached the street he turned them on.

He watched Ripley pull into a Walgreens and stop. She seemed to delay doing nothing. Waiting for someone perhaps? Then she got out but didn't go inside or even try.

Javi had his little Cannon camera and was taking pictures like crazy.

She had something in her hand while she walked. Javi watched her walk to the edge of the parking lot where there was a green space. He watched her kneel down and search for something. Finding it she pulled the little colored flag that was stuck in the ground and left her own. Of a different color.

Then back to her car where she sat for a few minutes before starting her car and leaving. Except she didn't go straight home. Instead she drove to a movie theater and parked at the back.

Javi parked and started taking pictures. He watched her go straight to the dumpster and throws two somethings in, one being the flag, and walk back to her car. Then immediately drove away.

Javi groaned. Couldn't she throw it away in something smaller? Javi sat there and waited 20 minutes before he got out and went dumpster diving with his flashlight. Javi wasn't sure if he was being paid enough for this.

He had watched her and she had only spent a second at the dumpster. So he was hoping he could rule out what was at the bottom.

After opening it he found the little flag almost straight away, so he started searching. As he was moving stuff around he saw something fall further in. So he chased it carefully. And there it was, sitting on an empty bag of M&M's.

It looked like a giant horse pill. He pulled a glove a blue glove out of his pocket and put his hand in and snapped it in place. Then carefully picked it up and looked at it. It had a seam telling him it was hollow.

Javi pulled out a baggie and put it inside and sealed it closed.

Javi went back to his car and drove to the office. After letting himself in and turning off the security he went into Kate's office and opened the mini safe sitting in the closet and left the horse pill and flag inside.

After re-locking the safe, turning the security back on and locking the front door, he went home to get some sleep. Once in his car he sent Kate a text about the item in her safe. Then he sent the same text to Kevin.

In the morning Kate found the text and couldn't wait to get to the office to see what Javi had left for her. Kate checked with Lucy about what she would need, then kissed Rick and Alexis and took a taxi to the office.

Once she made it to the office she made a beeline to the safe. Using gloves she pulled everything out and started taking pictures. Blew some powder on everything and took still more pictures.

While opening it Lucy went to work running finger prints.

Kate opened it and found a tiny piece of paper. Rolling it open she took more pictures of both sides. Then blew some powder on both sides and took still more pictures.

Then she started looking at the paper to see what it said or had on it.

"Kate there are prints of Ripley on the outside as well as a partial of someone else. The pictures you have show there is a partial hair that was caught in the seam of the container. It does not have a follicle on it so DNA matching will not be possible. However the color does not match Ripley." Lucy tells her.

Kate is paying attention to what is on it. It had words and diagrams of things. It looked a mess.

"Lucy?" Kate needed her.

"It appears to be a code of some type. I'm still running finger prints of the paper itself. There is a clear one of Ripley and one of someone else.

Beginning analysis of the code." Lucy tells her.

"I have a match to the finger print that is not Ripley's. " Lucy tells her and puts his picture up on the monitor.

"His name is John Bigbooté. He used to be in the Army Reserve so his prints are on file. He is presently the chief of operations of the company that the worm Ripley is using to send information to." Lucy explains.

"Analysis of the code is complete. It is instructions for her to download a new program into your client's server." Lucy tells her.

"Does it say what the program is?" Kate asks.

"No. Presumably she already knows where the program is located and simply has to copy it into the server." Lucy guesses.

"Wonder what it does. …. Lucy can you put Rick on the monitor?" This was his planet and he had a better imagination than she did.

"Hi, did you forget something when you flew out of here this morning?" Rick guesses.

"Sorry about that. I have a text from Javi telling me he left something in the safe last night. I couldn't wait to see what it was. …. It was instructions for our mole to download a new program. I wanted to know if you had any ideas of what it could be." Kate was hopeful.

"Well, if I was writing a story about it. If I had a mole and a worm infiltrated into my competitor and they had just hired a new security firm. I'd be worried that this new firm would find my mole and/or my worm and trace it back to me.

So I would want to find a way to discredit this new firm so bad that they are forced to fire them, leaving the status quo. With my mole and worm still intact." Rick spins a quick story.

"I get fired and it would ruin me. I've only just started and screw up my first client." Kate could see where Rick's story could lead to disaster.

"You know who is going to do it. Couldn't you keep eyes on her; discreetly of course, can you isolate the computer she uses to download this program? Quarantine it like an Anti-virus program would?" Rick asks her.

"Lucy?" Kate passes on the question.

"Easily." Lucy responds.

"Thanks babe." Kate was happy.

"Anytime. I'll see you at dinner. There is something I need to talk to you about." Rick had a problem.

"I'll be there." Kate tells him and puts everything back in the safe and heads for this particular client. Leaving Lanie and Roselyn to work alone today.

Kate watched Ripley use Symmons laptop again to download this new program after lunch, when Symmons had finally stepped away leaving his laptop available.

As soon as Ripley was taken care of Kate was going to have a class on security and securing your computer if just to go to the toilet. And add a program to have passwords changed every few months. No wonder they had trouble being this lazy about it.

Lucy had easily quarantined the program allowing her to start analyzing it.

Lucy was still working on it trying to come up with options to make it work for Kate instead of hurt her when Kate had made it home for dinner.

Kate could tell Rick was cooking the second she opened the front door. Since she had skipped lunch her stomach immediately started to complain about being neglected all day. Alexis was even in the kitchen helping.

This got Kate to start questioning Rick's motives for this wonderful smell. She could smell a set up mixed in with the other smells.

Kate had finished eating, seconds, Rick had outdone himself. Kate was going to burst soon she just knew it. "Ok out with it." Kate tells him.

Alexis gathered up the plates. "I'll be in the kitchen." And Alexis made a hasty retreat.

"Rick?" Kate knew it was a set up now.

"I have to go on a book tour for two weeks starting next week." Rick drops his bomb.

"TWO WEEKS!?" Kate suddenly looked like a bomb had hit her.

"It was already scheduled before we even left here for summer vacation. The tour is meant to get interest in the Derek Storm books just before the new book comes out." Rick explains.

"Two weeks?" Kate couldn't get past that part. Then she gets up with renewed energy despite being full, and drags Rick down the stairs to the truck bay.

Alexis steps in front on the monitor facing the kitchen. "Lucy?" And Lucy puts them up on the monitor.

"Two weeks Rick! Really?" Kate knew it was going to be two weeks in hell.

"I'm sorry, but it's part of my contract. I don't have a choice." Rick wasn't looking forward to being away for that long either.

"I can barely last the three or four days each month as it is. Two weeks is going to be an eternity." Kate looks at him with pleading eyes.

Rick pulls Kate into him to hold her close. Kate melts into him easily. Two weeks without Rick. She was going to go mad she just knew it.

"You're going to make love to me every day between now and then." Kate tells him.

"We do that already." Rick reminds here which earns him a light slap to his chest.

"I'll come home for lunch." Kate was going to stock pile them if she was going to have to go cold turkey. "Two weeks." Two weeks of hell.

"You're wearing a t-shirt everyday between now and then. The same one day after day. And you're leaving it behind when you go." If Kate couldn't have him she was at least going to smell him. She was also going to need a new box of Kleenex.

"And if I see any pictures of you with women draped all over you, I'll break both your legs." Kate warns him.

"Not to worry, no women draped all over me. I'm all too familiar with the pain of cheating on someone." Rick reminds her.

'Meredith'. Kate quickly reviewed some of the things she was going to do to that woman. "Two weeks."

"And when the new book comes out there will be another two week tour." Rick figures she might as well know now.

Kate grabs a hold of his shirt and clutches it in her fists, since her legs just turned to jelly. "Another two weeks?"

Maybe she should just kill herself now and get it over with.

"Come on, we're having sex, NOW!" And Kate drags him upstairs to their bedroom.

Alexis had run for the greenhouse as soon as she knew what they were going to be doing. Alexis didn't see the appeal in all this sex they were doing. But she did know it made both of them happy. And that made Alexis happy. Plus knowing that they loved each other also made her happy.

Having Kate had made her forget all about the pain of her real mother. Kate was her mother now and she wasn't going to lose her if Alexis had anything to say about it.

While up in her greenhouse she got Lucy to show her stuff about the options Kate had mentioned about what to be when she was older. She was going to take some of it and go over it with Kate and her dad.

Kate was on her way over to work with Lanie and Roselyn today after a little fun in the shower with Rick. So she was happy, in a good mood and glowing when she found Lanie.

"WOW, what have you been up to this morning, and does he have a brother?" Lanie asks.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Kate feigned innocence.

"Oh don't give me that. If your smile got any bigger and you glowed any brighter you'd block out the sun. So what's his name?" Lanie wasn't listening to Kate's attempts at deflection.

"My fiancé." Kate tells her.

"And does this fiancé have a name?" Lanie digs a little deeper.

"Rick Castle." Kate wasn't keeping him a secret, she just hadn't told these two yet.

"Richard Castle, the author. Mr. Rich gorgeous hunk Castle?" Lanie was impressed.

Kate could only grin and nod her head.

"Oh you go girl! Have you marked your territory yet?" Lanie knew someone like him would attract attention.

Kate instantly blushed. "Once or twice." Remembering the last time she had done so.

Roselyn steps up to them. "Lanie, boss."

"Did you know her fiancé is Richard Castle?" Lanie instantly spreads the word.

"Who?" Roselyn had never heard of him.

"Dreamy, rich, Richard Castle, the author?" Lanie tries again. Getting nothing out of Roselyn. "Don't you read?"

"Not much, no." Roseyln tells her.

"And I suppose you don't date either." Lanie was shocked. Getting nothing in return. "Oh we are just going to have to fix that. And I know just the guy for you too. You'll be drooling all over him in no time. Amongst other wet spots." Lanie was looking forward to finding Roselyn just the right guy. Even if she had to go through every man in New York that she knew.

Roselyn was about to get the full Lanie treatment.

"Ok ladies work first, sex later." Kate tells them and walks them inside.

"I'm headed for lunch ladies. Don't forget to go eat something, I'll be back in about an hour …. And a half." Kate amends a little late.

"Are you sure that's enough time?" Lanie asks with ulterior motives behind it.

"Yes an hour and a half will be just fine." Kate tells her and walks to her waiting taxi.

Lanie pulls out her phone and calls someone. "No you'll love her. She's very serious, loads of fun, you'll have a blast. Tomorrow eight o'clock." Lanie hangs up.

"You have a date for tomorrow night, eight o'clock. His name is Frank, you'll like him. He's a doctor." Lanie leaves out the fact he's a podiatrist. Just plain doctor sounds better.

"Lanie I don't need a date." Roselyn complains.

"Trust me he's just what you need. Nice dinner, nice wine, maybe a little something later. It'll be fun. … We have to go shopping tonight. Find you the right dress for tomorrow night." Lanie tells her.

"This is not a good idea." Roselyn is so not on board with this.

"You're going, it'll be great. Trust me." Lanie was grinning from ear to ear.

Kate had made it home. "Lucy where is Rick?" Not wanting to waste time. "Never mind I see him."

Rick was just stepping into the workout room.

Roughly and hour and a half later Kate was back with Lanie and Roselyn, smiling and glowing. Having left Rick thoroughly worked over. Which was fitting since he was still lying on the mat in the workout room, trying to figure out what or who had just ran him over.

Lanie had a knowing grin on her face as Kate walked up, getting Kate to blush brightly.


	37. Chapter 37

**CH37**

It was now one week later:

Lucy had the new program working for Kate now and Kevin was sitting outside of a fast food restaurant that Ripley had parked at and gone inside. She had come back outside with food and a guy.

They both sat and ate while Kevin used his little listen in dish microphone and record everything they had to say.

Seems their new program wasn't working out like they had hoped. The new security firm was better than they thought. Thinking they had found it and gotten rid of it.

They decided on doing a download that would crash their system and fry every record file they had. This would ruin them and they could then hire some of his people and make progress in gaining some of his clients and gaining a bigger percentage of the market.

He figured it would take them 2 or 3 days to create the program. All she had to do was download it. She would get her message in the usual way.

Then he slid an envelope across the table to her and got up and left.

After he was gone she opened it and pulled out a cashier's check. Smiling she folded it and put it in her purse. Then got up and threw everything in the trash.

After she was gone Kevin went dumpster diving. Only this time, unlike Javi's trip into the trash, it was smaller. And with gloves on he pulled out everything she had thrown out. Cup, straw, napkins, wrappers, ketchup bags, and of course the envelope.

He left everything in the safe in Kate's office. Including the recording he had made of the conversation. He placed his book of notes in her desk and went home for the day. His wife wanted a baby and she was busy wearing him out.

Kate was just outside the security checkpoint at the airport saying goodbye to Rick for two whole weeks.

Kate had kept him busy night and day. Rick always thought he was good at making love to women, when he got around to it anyway. However Kate was wearing him out this last week.

In a way he was glad to be leaving. If Kate kept up this pace for much longer she was going to kill him. He'd die with a smile on his face, but dead none the less.

"I've already arranged for Alexis to have a sleep over with her friend Paige the day you get back. I have plans for you. I'm going to do things to you that I've only ever dreamed about doing with a man.

I just hope I'm still sane by that time." Kate whispers into his ear, since she is presently in his arms. "Two whole weeks." Kate was going to go mad, she was sure of it. Just thinking about it made Kate think about dragging him somewhere and having her way with him before he left.

"They say absence makes the heart grow fonder." Rick tells her.

"It's not my heart that I'm worried about. That part of me is already in your hands. It's the rest of me that should be in your hands that worries me. ….. Two weeks." Kate could already feel the first cut of a major artery.

"I need to get going; going thru security is a pain in the ass." Rick tells her.

Kate's response is to kiss him and hold on tight.

Rick extracts himself intending to walk to security; however Kate grabs him again and kisses him hard and quick. "I love you."

"I love you too. And I'll see you, all of you." Rick lifts his eyebrows a couple of times getting Kate to smile. "In two weeks."

Kate watched until she couldn't see him anymore then went to the Jag that Rick had drove them here in and headed for her meeting with her first client, their lawyers and the SEC.

A ton of bricks was about to fall on Ripley and the people she apparently actually worked for.

A few days later she had a presentation to give to a possible new client that Rick had contacts with.

If her fist client was happy with her results so far, and she gained a third client. Kate needed just one more and she could start thinking about that new building she wanted to build for her business. Just the other side of the wall from her home and family.

Kate was still giddy about that word, "Family". She actually had one.

Kate was forced to excuse herself from the meeting. It had lasted well past lunch. She had to pick up Alexis from school. She was going to drop her off with Martha and then be right back.

Alexis came flying out of school and hopped in her dad's Jag that she knew Kate was going to be in. "Hi mom! How did the meeting go?" Kate had told her about most of it the last few days.

"So far so good. I'm going to drop you off with Martha and then get back to it. I'm hoping I can pick you up tonight and bring you home. I'll call if I have to stay." Kate apologized.

"It's ok mom, I know it's important." Alexis tells her.

"Thank you sweetie, it's very important." To her client and to her future company.

"Katherine darling, come on in. And Alexis dear how are you?" Martha greets both of them at the door.

"I'm fine grams." Alexis drops her backpack.

"Are you two staying for dinner?" Martha was actually hopeful.

"I'm sorry Martha, I have to get back to my meeting." Kate would like to stay. Kate was betting she had lots of good stories about Rick that she could embarrass him with, if he was here. Which suddenly got Kate very horny.

"Well you give them everything you have Katherine. There is an old saying, "Give them an inch and they'll take a mile"". Martha tells her.

Kate had never heard that one before but she liked it. A little ruthless perhaps but considering what they were trying to do to her company and her client, ….

It was late by the time Kate made it back to Martha to pick up Alexis.

A very sleepy and alien looking Martha answered the door. Martha's face was mostly green, and Kate thought she was the alien of this family.

Kate scooped up a sleepy Alexis and guided her to the car. "Thanks for watching her Martha." Kate was sorrier about the time.

"Nonsense dear, it's not easy juggling career, child and things in your own life. Trust me, I know." Martha had raised Rick all alone. Kate had a new respect for Martha.

Kate guided Alexis into her bed then went to her bedroom where she took a shower to wash the day off of her.

Kate was tired and wanted to get some sleep. There was going to be still another meeting tomorrow and probably one after that. Then she had that presentation to give for a possible new client.

But she couldn't get to sleep, and this time it wasn't her mind that was keeping her up.

Finally Kate couldn't take it any longer, she got up and went into the closet and yanked Rick's t-shirt she had him wear for days on end off its hanger and went back to bed. Kate curled it up and stuffed it under her head to use as a pillow and breathed him in.

It was only day one and she was already using her emergency plan for dealing with Rick's absence.

Two days later Kate was giving her presentation for her possible new client. "I see you are presently involved with an investigation headed by the SEC." Kate was asked. Not surprising, it was all over the local news.

"Yes sir, my company is helping the SEC investigate something that involves one of my clients." Kate couldn't talk about it much since it was an ongoing investigation.

Kate was asked to wait outside. As usual Kate left Lucy and her laptop behind.

"None of this leaves this room. … little birdies, Looney tunes type, told me that she is brilliant and way ahead of the game when it comes to company security. She caught a mole and damaging software in their server from a competitor. If it all plays out as anticipated that company is going to gain dominance in their market." Company president comments.

"If she can catch them it stands to reason she can prevent it also." One of them comments.

"She is asking for a great deal of money. Easily more than her competitors of her size." One comments not liking the cost.

"Our research tends to suggest that she has a small client list at the present time, however she also only just started her company. And she has dedicated people to each of her clients. Not part time on again off again, maybe I'm available and maybe I'm not." Another comments.

"She is only here because of Castle. Granted I like the man and what he writes, still pissed at him for killing off Storm, but is he enough to listen to her?"

"We're not hiring her for what Castle can do, we're looking at her for what she can do. If she's right she could take on every guard we have in the building, plus any virus in our system. And her resume shows she has taken and passed the top executive driving class." One of them points out.

"If my birdies are correct, the SEC is going to lower the boom on them. Their stock will hit rock bottom and become a penny stock before they close their doors. All because she was good enough in a short time to catch them at it."

"Not someone I want to be on the receiving end of."

"Jim, you've been silent." Company president notes.

"We gave her a test using a temporary pass code that was a fake. She took it, modified it and broke into our system anyway. If she can keep someone like her out as easily as she got in, …." Jim trails off.

"Have you seen anything like what she can do?"

"No sir, she is NSA or better type. She's a bargain at this level. If she was in California there would be major defense contractors banging on her doors to keep the Chinese out."

"We have that major acquisition deal in Mexico in three months. Get her a car and let her drive and be your protection sir." Someone adds the future into the talk.

"That deal will expand us globally and piss off a few people. Transport has always been the weak spot of any security. Why do you think the President has the Secret Service?"

"Any objections?"

"Have Ms. Beckett come back in." The Company President tells the guy standing at the door.

Kate left with her third client and a nice big fat check, that went right into the bank. Followed by a phone call to Steve, Rick's and now Kate's financial planner. One step closer to her new building.

Now she needed another two employees.

**Pamela Landy**

She is a very serious, intelligent and spirited woman, whose only purpose is to uncover the truth.

One of several CIA's Deputy Directors, Landy gets really angry because of Vosen's willingness to indiscriminately kill CIA personnel and has a prickly argument with him, finally leaving the room from which the operation is being run and tenders her resignation.

The CIA had become an assassination squad and killing was not what she signed up for.

**Leanne Macintyre**

After divorcing her husband she moved back to Atlanta to be closer to family and help her father with his legal practice.

She stayed with her father for three years before leaving for her own practice. The recent depression however swallowed up most of her clients and she decided to move to New York to start again.

Kate's excitement allowed her to manage the next couple of days without resorting to plan B. Then Rick called to talk to her and see how she was doing.

Rick was jumping from city to city faster than he could keep track of. Two to three book signings each day. Today was his one and only day where he only had one signing so he had time to talk to Kate and Alexis.

Kate was keeping track. One week and one day and roughly 8 hours till Rick was back home.

"I got my third client the other day." Kate was happy.

"That's great! I'm proud of you. Though I knew you could do it. How goes the Ripley?" Rick knew of it just not everything.

"Three straight days of meetings with the SEC. Not something I want to repeat again anytime soon." Kate hadn't liked it but knew it was necessary.

"How's Alexis?" Rick wanted to know about his little girl.

"She's doing great. Better than I am." Kate had to confide.

"It's about half over, I'll be there in no time." Rick tried to make her feel better.

"Rick, …. We're engaged but when are we going to be actually married?" Kate wanted him to be hers, really hers.

"Anytime you want. We can get married in one day if we fly to Las Vegas. Otherwise it can take days to go through the process. Do you want to do it in during winter or when the weather is better?" Rick asks her.

Kate hadn't thought about that part. If it was inside who cared what time of year it was. "How much space do we need?"

"Well let's see, there are a number of people I know that you haven't met yet. Minimum number, I don't know. I'll have to think about it." Rick wondered just who needed to be there besides Kate.

"I just want you babe. I don't care who else has to be there. I'm not marrying them, just you." Kate tells him.

"Then tell me where. New York, Las Vegas, Bahamas, Caribbean, Rome. Look them up and decide where and then we can decide when." Rick tells her.

Kate didn't really know those places. Did she have time to leave her business to go somewhere to get married?

"I'll think about it." Kate decides and tells him.

"They're calling my flight honey I've gotta go." Rick tells her. Next city is calling.

"I love you babe, stay safe." Kate tells him.

"I love you too, I'll be home soon." Rick tells her.

Kate picked up Alexis at school. Except this time she was dragging out to the car instead of her usual running.

"Are you alright sweetie?" Kate was a little worried.

"I'll be fine mom, I'm just tired." Alexis tells her.

Kate got home and put Alexis to bed after giving her some pills and taking her temperature. "100.7, you've got a temperature pumpkin. If it doesn't go down we're both staying home tomorrow." Kate tells her. "Go to sleep sweetie, I'll wake you for some soup later."

"Hhmmm, tanks mom." Alexis rolls over and grabs her pillow to cuddle with it.

Kate made a few calls and informed everyone she would be home with a sick child tomorrow. She could help them provided she could do it from home.

Kate sat down with Lucy and looked up these places Rick had mentioned. Las Vegas was quick and easy but not very pretty. She lived in New York and she wanted to see someplace else. Bahamas looked nice but not really what she wanted.

Then Kate saw Sandals Royal Caribbean, Montego Bay, Jamica. It was lovely! Lots of beach, interesting looking trees (palm trees Lucy tells her), beautiful water. All she really needed was Rick, Alexis and Martha. Kate just wanted her family. Not a lot of people she didn't know and likely never see again.

Personal pre-travel wedding planner

Personal resort wedding planner and dedicated resort wedding team

Picturesque Wedding Location

Preparation of marriage documents

Chiavari Chairs

Musical Accompaniment (pre-recorded)

Witnesses upon request

30 minute Sparkling Wine & Cold Hors d'oeuvres Delightful Reception for Bride, Groom and up to 6 guests

Wedding gift from Sandals Resorts

Free Wedding Website and Gift Registry

Decorated Honeymoon Room for Bride & Groom

Mimosa Breakfast-in-Bed for Bride & Groom any Morning of Choice

Honeymoon dinner for bride and groom at a resort specialty restaurant with white-glove service and a complimentary bottle of sparkling wine

Complimentary 5"x7" Honeymoon Photo for Bride & Groom

Kate had the where and with whom, now she just needed the when.

Kate took a bowl of soup to Alexis and had to wake her to get her to eat some of it, and then let her sleep.

Kate went to bed thinking of marrying Rick, which made her happy, but it also made her miss him.

Kate wasted no time in yanking his t-shirt off its hanger in the closet. This time though it wasn't enough, she wanted Rick. Kate knew she was addicted to him. She wanted to feel him not smell him.

One more week. Kate was going to be a mess by then she just knew it.


	38. Chapter 38

**CH38**

Kate was sitting at the kitchen barely dressed nursing her breakfast. Kate had already checked on Alexis, who still had a temperature and was asleep.

Kate got Lucy to do some research on local marriage culture. "I need a dress!? … What do I need a dress for?" These people needed to take a serious look at their rituals.

First it was a place, when, flowers, music, guests, invitations, food, and now a dress? What else was there?

How did anyone get married if you had to go through all this?

"You also need something old, something new, something blue, …." Lucy is interrupted by Kate.

"Enough, enough already. Seriously!? … The people who thought up all this stuff aren't going to be at my wedding. My Wedding so we'll do it my way. …. Ok what other items are on this seriously bloated list?" Kate asks very afraid of the answer.

"Rings. …. I have my ring." Kate lifts her hand to look at it again. It wasn't overly fancy, it looked relatively simple. The diamond was pretty big on her slim finger. She had already ruined a number of gloves when it ripped them open.

"I need to get Rick a ring? …. Oh I see, my ring keeps the men looking at bay while his ring keeps the women looking at bay." Kate took an instant liking to this particular part of the culture.

"Kate, there is a woman at the front door attempting to gain illegal entry." Lucy tells her.

Kate looked up at the monitor and saw a medium height, slim woman with fiery red hair with a large suitcase standing next to her and struggling with a large bag over her shoulder. She was trying to get a key to go in the lock on the door.

Rick had all the locks changed when Lucy was allowed to remote lock and un-lock all the doors.

"What the hell does she think she's doing?" Kate got up and grabbed a robe and put it on while walking down the stairs.

Kate opens the front door. "Who the hell are you." The women with the fiery red hair screeches at her. Kate didn't know who she was but she already hated her voice. It sounded like someone crying while finger nails were dragged over a chalkboard.

"I live her, who are you?" Kate responds back.

"WHAT!? What are you doing in my house, and why doesn't my key work?"

"This is my house, now who the hell are you?" Kate tries again.

"I'm Richard's wife, now get out of my way and out of my house." She tries to make it past Kate.

Kate however blocks her way with her body and her arm.

"Wife? Rick isn't, …." Kate is interrupted when Alexis pops up on a monitor.

"MOM, where are you?" Alexis calls out.

Kate can hear her strange woman inhale deeply. "Why did she call you mom?" Completely in shock.

"Alexis is my daughter. Not that it's any of your business." Kate tells her.

"WHAT!? What have you done to my daughter? Get out of my way." And she tries again but is blocked by Kate.

"Your daughter? Alexis is my daughter! … Wait are you, …." Kate thinks she understands now. "You're Meredith."

"How dare you keep me out of my house and from my daughter." Meredith screeches yet again. And then slaps Kate.

Kate is shocked! The bitch hit her. In a heartbeat Kate goes from mom to kick ass Detective Beckett, Chief Security Officer.

The next thing Meredith knows is that there are two EMT's looking her over with a gurney nearby. Along with two of New York's finest taking Kate's statement. That and the fact she is in a lot of pain. Correction, make that a whole lot of pain.

"She has three loose teeth that will probably need to be removed, a broken nose, a possible concussion, both bones in her left arm are broken, her right shoulder is dislocated, her right knee has been hyper extended and may require MCL and ACL surgery to correct and her right ankle has a minor sprain." One of the EMT's comments for the officer to add to his notes.

"What happened to her? Did she get hit by a truck?" The EMT asks. Some of the injuries were consistent with being hit up high by a truck.

"Oooo, is there a truck nearby? I can fix that." Kate adds. Only too willing to do still more damage to Meredith.

"Ms. Beckett." The officer tries to get Kate to calm down. "I'll need you to come to the station so you can give an official statement."

Kate takes a deep breath. "Sure, let me see if Martha can come watch my sick daughter and I'll be right behind you."

Meredith is long gone by the time a taxi arrives and deposits Martha at the front door. The ambulance is long gone but the police cruisers and officers are still there.

"Katherine dear what happened here?" Martha was worried for her and Alexis.

Kate then proceeds to tell her what happened and that she needs her to watch over Alexis till she can get back from making her statement.

"Oh Katherine dear, bless you! Can she still walk?" Martha asks clasping her hands in front of her.

"MARTHA?" Kate is shocked. Even Kate thinks she may have over done it.

"Oh posh, it's about time that woman met her match. You go on dear, I'll watch Alexis. …. And pray for a slow recovery." Martha adds softly. Which just gets Kate to grin.

It was almost three hours before Kate was back home. Kate had taken the door security camera recordings with her. Not the ones Lucy had inside the truck bay, just the ones at the front door.

They showed the confrontation with Meredith and her slapping Kate.

Kate thought so long as on one found out about Lucy she was safe. Meredith had started it and Kate was protecting her sick daughter and her home from an unwanted guest.

"Katherine dear, how about we keep this to ourselves. What Richard doesn't know won't hurt him, … or us." Martha offered.

"Martha I'm not going to lie to Rick." Kate was willing to take her medicine.

"Oh I'm not asking you to lie dear. Just omit that Meredith was here and what happened. If he doesn't ask, we don't have to lie." Martha explains.

Kate isn't so sure about this plan. "What about Alexis?"

"That child slept thru the entire time you were gone. She'll never know you ever left. It'll be our little secret." Martha tells her.

"Thanks for coming Martha." Kate tells her.

"I'm happy to help dear. … And next time, break one of her legs for me would you please?" Martha asks shyly.

Kate giggles. "Sure Martha, I'll see what I can do."

"Well I better run dear. Alexis is obviously in good hands, and I have some celebrating to do. It's never too early to drink and celebrate such a happy occasion like this one." Martha pats her arm and steps out front and into her waiting taxi.

Kate is grinning all the way back upstairs. "Rick is right. That woman is unique."

It was time to check on Alexis so she took her temperature which was coming down. So she woke her and got her to eat something and gave her another pill and let her go back to sleep.

Kate went back to work doing background checks on everyone while Lucy continued to study the servers that were Kate's clients.

All the while there was something in the back of Kate's mind trying to get out. There was something, she just couldn't place it. Then her phone rang. A quick scan of the caller ID had her smiling.

"RICK!" Kate all but yelled into the phone.

"Hi, I've got a few minutes while I travel from one location to the next. How are my two favorite girls?" Rick was missing both of them.

"Alexis has a temperature and is home sick. It's nothing serious and it's coming down." Kate informs him.

"Oh my poor baby. Hopefully it's just a cold. She hasn't complained about anything else has she? Rash, itching, aches and pains?" Rick asks, tying to be a back seat doctor.

"No just not feeling well and her slight temperature. She'll be fine in a couple of days." Kate knew she was going to have to talk to Martha again about watching her tomorrow so she could work on-site.

"How are you holding up?" Kate asks him.

"I think my hand is ready to fall off. Writing a little something and signing your name is surprisingly tiring." Rick tells her whining a little.

"Oh my poor baby has a boo boo. I'd kiss it and make it feel better, …." Kate trails off. Kissing his hand wasn't the only part of him she wanted to kiss.

"How is your t-shirt idea working out?" Rick was missing her almost as bad as Kate was missing him. Or so he thinks.

"It's kinda working. It's just not the same." Kate is forced to admit.

"Well I left you a little present in the top right dresser drawer if you want to go look." Rick tells her.

"Really!?" Kate hops off the bar stool at the kitchen and goes into the bedroom.

Finding the drawer mentioned she opens it and sees a rectangular box in wrapping paper.

"Can I open it?" Kate was dying to find out what it was.

"Of course, it's why I bought it." Rick tells her.

Kate rips the paper off with one hand and finds a box underneath. Opening the box she sees inside a long thin object. It was smooth on all sides and it was pointy at one end.

"Rick?" Kate whispers out since it was all the breath she had.

"Twist the bottom." Rick tells her.

Kate puts the phone down and places it on speaker so she can use both hands. Taking it out of the box, Kate finds it has a little weight to it, but not much.

Kate sees a nob at the bottom and twists it and it instantly puts out a grilling humming noise and is vibrating in her hand.

"RICK! Is this, …. I mean this is, ….. Oh babe, thank you!" Kate is beyond excited. The love of her life may have just saved her sanity.

"I've gotta run, we've reached the next signing location. Have fun honey, and try not to use up the batteries in one night. … I love you." And Rick is gone.

Kate was melting where she stood. She could almost feel her whole body vibrating in time with this thing in her hand.

Kate turned it off and put it back in the drawer. Kate was still vibrating as she looked at her watch. Six or seven more hours till bedtime. It was going to be an eternity. Maybe she could put it to use now? Alexis was in bed asleep.

Kate opened the drawer back up then quickly closed it. No she would wait.

Kate used everything she could find to hold herself up as she made it back to the kitchen. Since her legs were now made of jell-o.

Kate checked in on Alexis and found that her temperature was coming down, slowly. Kate got her to eat something and gave her another pill before bed and kissed her warm forehead, and let her sleep.

Lucy made sure everything was locked up tight and Kate went to bed taking her new toy with her.

Kate soon had herself worked up to a fever pitch and then put Rick's new toy to use. Alexis was asleep and Kate was screaming into her pillow. It wasn't Rick but it was going to save her sanity.

Kate got Martha to spend the day with Alexis allowing her to go into work and spend the day with her new team and her new client.

Kate was sitting with both of them eating lunch off-site when her cell phone rang.

It was a potential new client. They had seen her company on the news casts. It seems working with and being cleared by the SEC had gotten her some publicity and they wanted to know what she could do for them?

Kate made an appointment to give her presentation in about a week.

Kate and her team had only just made it back to their client when she got another phone call from still another company that had seen her on the news casts. Someone that good that could work with the SEC was enough for them to listen to.

So Kate made an appointment two days after the other one.

Kate was in the clouds by the time they started work again. If she got both of them at her price, she could easily afford to have an architect start work on her new building. Then give it to the Engineers for HVAC/Plumbing/Electrical and Structural.

Rick was back in a few days and her company was doing great.

Bracken was happy too. The information he got back from the test case in DC was back to him and it exceeded his dreams. There was a huge hole where the electrical substation used to be. It would probably take them a year to replace it.

In the meantime their power grid would be overloaded possibly giving them brown outs if not full black outs from time to time.

The next phase of his plan was already underway. This time they would use motorcycles with explosives in saddle bags.

The men and women had already volunteered and the explosives were being put together. Bracken was just now going over the site selections and coordination of when to strike.

**Substation Nahal-Shehoret - April 2009**

**Substation Camon - July 2009**

**Substation Shoham - July 2009**

161KV AIS Single Busbar , with two Overhead Lines, two Transformer Bays and one Coupler (with potential for addition of one Overhead Lines and one Transformer Bays). Two 161/24KV 45MVA transformers.

Two 24KV GIS single busbars, each with one Coupler, one Earthing-Transformer bay one Capacitor-Bank bay and seven Outgoing Lines.

Bracken had a list of all the electrical substations that were operational:

**26** Indoor (GIS) 161/13-36KV Substations

**70** Outdoor (AIS) 161/13-36KV Substations

He already knew he didn't need to take out ALL of them. Just certain ones along with some of the transmission line towers to black out almost the entire country.

Still three wasn't enough, he wanted to hit more of them. Because as soon as he started they would increase their security for what they had left.

And when they did he would switch targets.

Oil Refineries Ltd. (ORL), located in the bay area of Haifa, is Israel's largest Oil refinery. Using its sophisticated and state-of-the-art industrial facilities, ORL is capable of refining approximately 9.8 million tons of crude oil per year providing a variety of products used in industrial operation, transportation, private consumption, agriculture and infrastructures.

With the refining business representing 90% of the Company's total activities.

Paz Ashdod Oil Refinery is the Paz Group's refining division, which manufactures petroleum products and electricity, both for its own use and to sell to customers. This division manages the supply chain, importing crude oil and feed materials, exporting products and more. The division also provides procurement service for the Group.

Israel has two refineries, in Haifa and Ashdod. In 2006, Paz acquired the Ashdod refinery, which had been in operation since 1973.

In just one more week Bracken would launch his first strike at six of the electrical substations along with a number of the distribution towers. This would be followed two days later by the strikes on the two oil refineries.

This would cause Israel to ship in needed supplies at prices they cannot afford. Of course their master, the Americans would step in and offer financial support, by borrowing still more money from China to help them.

Israel's economy would ultimately collapse making them ripe for the picking. And he would accomplish what countless people before him could not. Destroy Israel!

Then he would sit back and watch Israel wither and die on the vine. By then he would be running for President and have the support of over half if not 6/8th of the country's population behind him.

Egypt would one day be a world power like in the days of the Pharaohs and the building of the Pyramids.

"Are you sure this will work my friend?" Bracken is questioned.

"Of course, it is written. **Waging War/The Challenge** explains how to understand the economy of warfare and how success requires winning decisive engagements quickly. This section advises that successful military campaigns require limiting the cost of competition and conflict.

We use limited resources to attack a target of importance.

**Attack by Stratagem/The Plan of Attack** defines the source of strength as unity, not size, and discusses the five factors that are needed to succeed in any war. In order of importance, these critical factors are: Attack, Strategy, Alliances, Army and Cities.

We will not attack their cities. They will fall to us after we have defeated them. If they have no oil, gasoline, electricity, food sources, the size of their military will mean nothing.

**Energy/Directing** explains the use of creativity and timing in building an army's momentum.

We make them waste theirs while we direct ours at their weakest points. They will then collapse under their own weight" Bracken tells him. Getting everyone around him to smile.


	39. Chapter 39

**CH39**

Alexis was back in school after only missing two days. Kate was standing just outside airport security waiting for Rick to get off his plane and make it to her.

And Kate wasn't standing still; she was pacing all over the place with her eyes on the line she was told she couldn't cross.

Then she saw him turn a corner at the far end (First class gets off first) and start walking down the artificial hallway.

Kate was hoping from one foot to the other itching for Rick to cross that damn line.

Kate dropped her hands that she was holding close to her chest. To an onlooker it looked like she was dancing. Then something that sounded like squealing was escaping from her mouth.

Kate was bursting out of her skin. She could see Rick smiling wide as he picked up his pace to get to her faster.

Finally Rick stepped on that line and Kate launched herself into him. Kate squeezed him for all she was worth. Then she grabbed his face and kissed him. Not waiting to ask for entrance her tongue dived right in. She had waited two whole damn weeks to taste him and she was going to get what she wanted.

Kate finally broke from the kiss and rested her head on his shoulder breathing him in.

"Somebody miss me?" Rick asks half teasing.

Kate pulled away and looked at him, then grabbed his hand. "Let's go." And Kate started dragging him to the car.

"We have to stop at baggage claim to get my suitcase." Rick tells her as he turns while she is trying to go straight.

"Really!? … You people need a serious design change." This planet was weird.

Rick had his bag and Kate gave him the keys to the Jag. Kate was afraid she couldn't keep her mind on the road with Rick sitting next to her.

Kate told him about Alexis. Told him about her meetings with the SEC. Getting called to ask her to give two companies a presentation about her company because they were interested in her. A little bit about her new employees, especially Pamela being ex CIA.

Rick was instantly interested in Pamela. He was dying for Kate to introduce him to her. He had tons of questions that he might be able to use for his next book.

Rick only made it to the opening from the stairwell into the living room before Kate attacked him. Pulling his shirt out of his pants. Undoing his belt and tossing it aside. The buttons on his shirt only lasted after the first two. The rest went flying and bouncing across the floor after she ripped his shirt open.

Kissing him as often as she could while slowly walking him to their bedroom.

With Alexis gone till tomorrow thinking Rick would be back tomorrow instead of today, Kate didn't have to scream into her pillow. Kate had stretched herself and Rick into new positions that they had never tried before.

Kate teased him mercilessly not letting him climax until she finally listened to his begging.

Kate herself had achieved a record number of orgasms while making love in one day.

Kate went to sleep lying on his chest listening to the sound of his heart beating lulling her to sleep.

Kate was sitting at the kitchen counter in one of his shirts and panties when Paige's mother dropped Alexis off and watched her fly up the stairs. **"DAD!" **And slammed into him while he was cooking breakfast.

"When did you get in dad?" Alexis asks with her arms wrapped around him.

"I got in late pumpkin." Rick tells her. (1 week and 6 days late so he wasn't actually lying).

"I'm glad you're home dad, I missed you." Alexis has always hated when he left for book tours.

"I missed you too pumpkin. You know when the new book comes out next month I'll be gone again." Rick tries to warn her.

"I know dad, it happens every year. Doesn't mean I have to like it." Alexis was used to it.

"Doesn't mean I like it either." Rick reminds her.

"Are we celebrating dad?" Alexis knew what his coming home meant.

"Yup, but we have to wait until the weekend this time so Kate is off work." Rick informs her.

"You coming mom?" Alexis certainly hope so, she was working a lot and needed some fun.

"Where are we going?" Kate asks since this was new to her.

"NY Yankees VIP Baseball Tour: Stadium Tour and Lunch with a Yankees Legend, with a baseball game the next day." Alexis tells her.

"It's almost the end of the season so this will be the last chance at this till next year." Rick informs Kate.

"Baseball?" Kate doesn't know it. "Lucy?"

And Lucy shows her what a baseball game looks like. "Ohhhh, we have something similar. It should be fun." Kate was willing.

Kate had her first presentation for a new company the next day. Kate told them everything she had told all the previous companies and in the end she walked out with a new client and a nice big fat check.

Kate immediately went to work finding two more employees to work on this new client. Two more women again. Women were now outnumbering the men in her company. Not that she paid any attention to that.

It was around this time that Kate found out that Roselyn, Roz she liked to be called, was on her third man that Lanie had set her up with.

Roz was slowly beginning to adapt to Lanie. Roz had to admit though, she was getting laid a lot more frequently with Lanie around. Not like she had a choice at the rate Lanie kept coming up with the "perfect" guy for her.

And Lanie was going to find him to, or die trying.

Two days later Kate had her next presentation for another company. Kate told them everything she had told all the previous companies this time too. And in the end she walked out with another new client and a nice big fat check.

Kate immediately went to work finding two more employees to work on this new client. This time she ended up with a man and a woman.

Since Kate was going to a baseball game in two days she arranged for and bought tickets for all her employees so they could all attend the game at the same time.

Kate, Rick and Alexis met all of them out front and they all waited for Pamela to show up who was running late.

Finally Pamela showed up and Kate made all the introductions. "And this is my fiancé, …." But is beaten to it by Pamela.

"Castle." Pam tells her and shakes Rick's hand. "I do, or did do, a lot of research. Didn't really have much time to read until recently. Not sure I like the next book in line, "Storm Fall". Sounds ominous."

Kate quickly punches Rick in the arm and gives Rick an "I told you so" look. Pam sees it but doesn't yet understand it. Alexis just giggles.

Rick buys everyone what they want for the first round. As a group they head for their seats laden down with hot dogs, popcorn, peanuts, pretzels and sodas. It was classic baseball food and it was all Rick would let them get. If they wanted something else they were going to have to sneak off and get it for themselves later.

Kate was excited for the first inning, then bored the next inning. Excited because it was her first baseball game and bored because there was no action!

Then the first guy up walked. "You can get on base without having to hit the ball?"

The next guy up hit into a double play taking the base runners off the field. "But he didn't even touch the bag! How can he be out?" Kate didn't understand the 'In the general area outs'. "Where did you get these umpires anyway?"

Getting an out Kate could understand but cheating to get an out? "How much money does an umpire get paid to rule that badly?" Implying he was being paid under the table.

Rick remained silent while Kevin, Javi and Lanie explained it to Kate.

Finally there was a home run for the other team. "Can't the fans throw the ball back onto the field so they can throw him out?" Kate was shocked. "Where's the home field advantage?" Kate sat back down grumbling.

The next inning the visiting team got a 3 run home run and the Yankees were now down 4-0. "Where did you learn to throw the ball? My daughter can throw better than that." Kate sits back down grumbling.

Alexis however had heard herself referred to as being Kate's daughter, which got her grinning for the next two innings.

Finally some guy walked out of the dug out and replaced the pitcher with someone else, getting Kate to mumble. "It's about time!"

Three straight doubles later however he was back out there changing pitchers again and the Yankees were now down 6-0 with two outs.

The new pitcher promptly made it 7-0 before getting the third out. "How many innings are in this game?" Kate asks. "NINE? … We're not even half way there yet." Kate moans.

The Yankees went up and down in order without so much as a cough let alone a hit.

By the 7th inning the Yankees were now down 14-0. "I need a drink." Kate wanted something to drown the sour taste of her home team.

Rick called the next beer guy over and bought for whoever wanted one. Kate took one sip. "What is this? Piss water? We're losing and this stuff tastes like swill!" Kate was sinking lower.

"We'll stop and get you some good stuff on the way home." Rick tries to console her and her taste buds.

Three singles and a double later and Kate had given up trying to hope for the bleeding to stop.

The game was over and the Yankees had gotten creamed. "Do they always play like this?" Getting a no back.

"So they only do it when I show up?" Kate wonders if the Universe hates her for some reason.

True to his word Rick stops to get Kate a REAL beer which after a few taste tests turned out to be Guinness Irish dry Stout. "Why can't they sell this at the ball game?"

They were finally home having taken forever just to get out of the parking lot. "Are there other sports?" Kate asks.

"Sure, there's Hockey, football, soccer, though we only call it soccer, everyone else calls it football, basketball, rugby, a few others." Rick lists off what is likely the most popular.

Kate was instantly confused about two footballs. "What's Hockey?" Kate asks. And Lucy pulls up a hockey game she finds on the Internet.

"Hhhmm interesting. …. Owe, they can do that?" Kate asks watching some guy get slammed into the boards.

Kate keeps watching and a fight breaks out. Masks come off, gloves get tossed. "Is that legal? … Why did they throw away their weapons if they are going to fight?"

It took a little while for Rick to explain it. "Can we go to a Hockey game next time?" This one at least had some action in it.

"Sure I can do some research and see when the next Islanders or Rangers game is." Rick tells her.

"Down next to those boards and glass?" Kate asks praying mightily.

"Maybe, those tickets tend to go fast, but I'll see what I can do." Rick tells her.

"Thanks babe." Kate gives Rick a quick kiss and heads for the bathroom.

"Seems Kate is a bit blood thirsty." Rick comments to Alexis after she is gone. Forgetting that Lucy hears everything.

"Remember how she plays Monopoly dad." Alexis answers back, taking water out of the refrigerator and goes upstairs to her greenhouse.

Rick chuckles. "Yea, Kate doesn't take prisoners. …. What's on the news Lucy?"

Lucy puts it up on the monitor and Rick stares at it in disbelief. Then goes over to the projection TV and puts it up on the big screen. "KATE! …. Kate honey you need to see this."

A few minutes later Kate shows up next to him wearing one of his shirts, panties and not much else. Kate had gotten use to not wearing a bra all summer and now she wore one only for work. Kate liked the idea of allowing Rick easy access.

"What's going on?" Kate asks as she steps up next to him.

"I'm not sure." Rick tells her.

Some reporter in Israel was on the phone reporting that all the power where he was, was out. And it had happened after a very large explosion some distance away, from his vantage point on his hotel balcony power was off as far as he could see in the distance.

Then they switched to another reporter who was also only available by phone reporting the same thing in a different area of the country.

There was no official word from the Israeli Government about what had happened.

Speculation quickly went to it being a terrorist attack unlike any attack Israel had ever encountered. Hamas and others usually just did little rocket attacks that were annoying but typically caused little to no damage. This was different.

Companies in Israel, owning and operating an extensive nationwide power distribution network fed by 17 power station sites (including 5 major thermal power stations) with an aggregate installed generating capacity of 10,899 MW. Most of the base load electricity is generated using coal, though by the end of 2010, the company expects the majority (55%) of total installed generation capacity to be in the form of natural gas plants.

Speculation quickly went to one or more of these sites being attacked by terrorists.

"Interesting, first a power substation outside of DC and now this in Israel." Rick wonders.

"DC was a test of the system." Kate tells him.

"Ok I'll bite, but why test here and not there if Israel is your target?" Rick asks her.

"If they do it here it doesn't alert their intended target. They won't increase security at power plants or a substation like in DC." Kate tells him.

Unfortunately it made sense to Rick. Israel took their security seriously, very seriously, unlike here.

"Lucy this reminds me of something. Can you go through the records for me?" Kate asks her.

"Scanning, …. Scanning. I find nothing that fits this profile." Lucy is forced to tell her.

"There is something. … Scan thru my personal notes." Kate asks her.

"Scanning, …. There is something similar that you made a note on concerning the small explosion outside of the Hidry power station." Lucy tells her.

"Hidry, …. It was a 'Rag' who blew himself up under a power transmission tower when he couldn't get past security to get into the plant itself." Kate thinks she remembers.

"Correct, you attached the person involved to being a member of the 'B' team at that time." Lucy adds.

"'B' team? We had an 'A' team on TV one time. Not likely the same." Rick tells Kate, especially since the 'A' team never seemed to run out of rounds no matter how many hundreds of them they fired and never hit anyone. Mostly the ground took all the damage.

"B stood for Bracken." Kate grinds her teeth starting to get furious.

"Bracken? They guy that escaped in a shuttle off your ship? The same guy who killed your mother?" Rick immediately took Kate into his arms and held her close.

"The son of a bitch survived." Kate was mad, scared, you name it. And was now hanging onto Rick holding his shirt in her fists.


	40. Chapter 40

**CH40**

Kate showed what she had found for her wedding site, hoping Rick liked it.

"Jamaica huh. Oh wait, does this mean I get to see you in a bikini?" Rick was interested as he lifts his eyebrows a couple of times.

"Rick, you've seen me naked. Why the interest in seeing me in a bikini?" Kate didn't get it. Admittedly she was new at this.

"For the same reason I think you walking around in nothing but one of my shirts with most of the buttons undone. It makes you look sexy." Rick tells her.

Kate had taken to wearing just one of his shirts because of the reaction she got, not understanding the reason.

"Then I guess I'll just have to go shopping." Kate is grinning. "So when do we get married?"

"Depends on who you want to invite?" Rick tells her.

"I really only just need you babe. You're the one I'm marrying." Kate tells him.

"What about Alexis and Martha?" Rick asks.

"Family, ok I can see that." Kate agrees.

"What about any of your employees or clients?" Rick asks.

"No not really." Kate didn't want a lot of people. She was marrying Rick not them.

"Then we need to do it when Alexis is out of school or she'll fall behind." Rick tells her.

"So when is she out of school next for a few days?" Kate didn't understand her schedule.

"Christmas break in late December would be the longest." Rick tells her.

"Can you make the reservations for then?" Kate asks him.

"Sure I'll get started." Rick grabs his laptop.

"Thanks, I'll be upstairs with Alexis." And Kate heads upstairs.

"Hi mom." Alexis spots her.

"Every time I come up here I'm amazed. You have such a talent. There are people on my planet that would love to get their hands on you." Kate tells her remembering home. "Do you need some help sweetie?"

"Can you tell me about your planet mom? You've seen some of ours." Alexis asks.

"Well, …. We don't have oceans. All we have is a number of large and small lakes. Some of them have natural connections between them. However a lot of them have had canals added to connect them.

So we don't have hurricanes or major wet rainy systems like you have. Fresh water isn't really an issue but it's difficult to get to the underground aquifiers.

My planet has so many natural minerals that interfere with our tapping into them.

There is a huge desert mostly south of the equator." Kate starts off.

"Earthquakes, tornadoes?" Alexis asks.

"Oh we have those too. The tornadoes however are all in the desert area. We call them dust devils. They are a pain because a lot of our most wanted minerals come from that area. So they are difficult to deal with." Kate adds.

"If the desert is that big how do you feed your people? Six billion people are a lot of people." Alexis wonders what it's like.

"Food is a problem, that's why your skill would be so wanted. You're a genius pumpkin. And we don't have 6 billion people. We don't even have 3 billion. We also have a child limitation similar to what your country China has. Food is such a problem that we have to enforce population control." Kate tells her.

"So you don't have any brothers or sisters?" Alexis asks.

"No one has brothers or sisters." Kate tells her.

"Mom, does that mean if our family went there I would be your only child?" Alexis had always hoped for a brother of sister.

"I'm afraid so pumpkin. Unless the food problem is solved." Kate tells her. Then Kate notices that she has stopped working.

Kate steps over to Alexis and hugs her. "You want a brother or sister, don't you?" However Kate doesn't get an answer.

"You can talk to me sweetie." Kate holds Alexis and kisses her.

"Dad could never find someone who loved him so there wasn't a chance." Alexis whispers.

"And now you have me. Do you want a brother or sister sweetie?" Kate decides to ask point blank.

Kate doesn't get a response but that in itself was a response. "Have you told your father?"

This time Kate gets a shake of Alexis's head.

"You've been keeping it a secret haven't you?" Kate asks knowing the answer. "I don't know what to tell you pumpkin. Where I'm from I never thought about having children."

The food problem kind of took that option off the table for her and a lot of people.

Alexis decides to change the subject. "Do you have planes like us?"

"We have a few but they are all military planes and there aren't that many of them. We use high speed trains. The ICx was designed to be a flexible vehicle and is the oldest system we have. Last I remember there were about 200 of them. Lucy would know better.

The design is based on the Power-Car concept. To accomplish high standards and flexibility, the traction system is merged underneath the identical power cars. The train is made to optimally be adjusted for specific transport tasks by manual variations in acceleration, speed and passenger capacity.

They are being phased out for the new GETS trains. Last I knew there were less than 200 of them so far.

A ground-effect train, works similarly to a Maglev train except it floats on a cushion of air that reduces wind drag.

This technology, known as a ground-effect train, works similarly to a Maglev train in that it's designed to levitate across a fixed track, an approach that eliminates the problem of railway friction. However the difference is that it accomplishes this by floating on a cushion of air that propels it forward instead of the strong force of an electromagnetic field, which contributes to the drag effect whenever a Maglev is moving at slower speeds.

The second generation of the GETS can travel just under 650 kilometers per hour or roughly 400 miles per hour. The power requirement is minimal."

"WOW! Does Lucy have pictures?" Alexis was interested.

"Probably, you can ask her." Kate tells her hugging Alexis again.

"Any more questions pumpkin?" Kate asks before she goes back downstairs.

"You said military." Alexis wonders if they kill each other too.

"We have one but it's not very big. A few planes, military trains, a backup method to move troops around. Not much more than that. Though we do have about a dozen heavily armed space ships. Most of them are pretty small though. It's so small everything including the space ships are updated regularly." Kate explains.

"So no wars?" Alexis lived on what she thought was a very violent planet.

"No, no wars. Unless you count training wars every few years." Kate tells her.

"So if a fleet of Star Destroyers filled with Tie Fighters attacked, …." Alexis trails off.

"We would be in BIG trouble." Kate agrees. Remembering the Star Wars movies they had watched during the summer.

"Cities?" How did Kate live.

"We have five major ones. The biggest one is called

MILE HIGH ULTIMA TOWER: Vertical Eco City Works Like a Tree

The building uses building integrated photo-voltaic solar cells to meet most of the electrical energy requirements. The tower also uses Atmospheric Energy Conversion to exploit the differences in atmospheric pressure at the bottom and top of the tower and convert this differential into electrical power. Wind turbine energy is also be used to power the tower."

"You mean one whole tower is a city?" Alexis had to see this.

"Yup, you should see the elevator systems. It has double-deck cars and then there is this train on most of the floors towards the bottom to get around in since it is so broad at the base." Kate tells her smiling since she has been in it a few times. "It's the biggest city we have. The others aren't nearly as big."

"Are their pictures?" Alexis couldn't picture a city in a single tower.

"Probably, you can ask Lucy." Kate tells her.

"Anything else?" Kate was willing to tell her anything.

"Schools?" Alexis asks since if she was there she would be in school.

"Oh yes, pretty much just like you have. Except we don't use books. Wood is at a premium thanks to the size of our desert. The trees we do have are protected. Another reason why people would be in love with you." Kate tells her knowing Alexis would be a big hit.

"Don't stay up here too long pumpkin, you have school tomorrow." Kate reminds her.

"Thanks mom." And Alexis hugs her.

"I love you pumpkin." Kate kisses her head and heads back downstairs.

Kate had only just made it to the door. "Lucy can you show me, ….. WOW!" From Alexis behind her. Kate was smiling all the way down.

However Alexis's question had brought up one of her own. One she was afraid to ask about.

Kate found Rick closing his laptop. "We now have reservations between Christmas and New Years in Jamaica. That's about 4 months from now, give or take. That Ok with you?" Rick asks her.

"That sounds fine." Kate comments without really thinking about it.

"What's on your mind Kate? I can see the wheels spinning from here." The look on her face was also a dead giveaway.

"Rick, you talked one time about World Wars." Kate was afraid of the answer.

"Oh boy. … Come on you better sit down." Rick guides her over to the sofa.

"We've had what we call World Wars twice so far. By that term I mean every country on the planet was involved in one way or another.

The first one was fought mostly in Europe though there were some minor skirmishes on other continents. Each side dug these long intricate trenches in the ground. Then they would fire artillery rounds to soften up some spot and then thousands of men would come out of the trenches and walk, run, crawl their way to the trenches the enemy had on the other side.

They would do this while artillery would rain down on them. Then when they got close enough machine guns would start firing on them.

Each side would lose thousands of men each time they did this. Finally one side won over the other.

Thirty years later we had another one. Only this time we had a lot of developments in weapon technology. We had learned to kill people faster and easier than the last time.

The Second World War was pretty much fought everywhere on the planet. There wasn't any one area that wasn't hurt in some way.

In WW1 alone we lost 19 million people with another 21 million injured. A lot of those injured had limbs hacked off. Medical back then isn't what it is today.

In WW2 we lost 60 to 85 million in military personnel alone with another 38 to 55 million in civilians. Most of the civilians died when their cities were bombed. It removed roughly 3% of the world population at that time." Rick stares at the floor.

Kate was having a hard time adjusting to this. These people were homicidal maniacs!

"Just the two wars?" Please say that's all.

"I wish. There have been little ones based on that standard all over the planet. There are probably 2 or 3 going on right now somewhere." Rick told her.

Leaving out Khmer Rouge, Bosnia, Vietnam, Korea, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syrian Civil War, Somali Civil War, and Israeli-Palestinian. Not to mention various terrorist groups that Rick was leaving out.

"How many Rick?" Kate was getting scared of this place. She wanted to go home!

"Probably somewhere between 40 and 50 since World War II." Rick goes back to staring at the floor.

Kate however is hardly breathing and is slowly pushing herself across the sofa to the far end. As far away as she can get from Rick without actually getting up.

"MY GOD RICK! You people are homicidal wackos! …. And it's not just wars is it? …. That's why you have such a huge police force. I mean they're everywhere. You don't just kill in wars but you kill each other too." Kate was now beyond scared.

All these people did was KILL!

Kate jumped up and ran for the bedroom crying and scared out of her mind.

Just as the door slammed closed Alexis came flying into the living room. "DAD?"

"How much of that did you hear?" Rick asks her.

"Enough. But she's right dad." Alexis had ignored it all since there seemed to be nothing she could do about it. Alexis just lived with it.

"We need to reach Kate before she retreats too far away from us till we never see the Kate we know again." Rick gets up and takes Alexis with him to the bedroom door.

They have made it to the door and Rick knocks. "Kate honey, we need to talk. You need to understand." Rick tries the door but it's locked.

"We need the emergency key pumpkin." Rick tells her. And Alexis runs for the kitchen to find the key in one of the drawers.

Alexis comes back with the key and Rick unlocks the door and enters. Only to find Kate standing on the far side of the bed with the weapon on her arm pointed right at him.

Alexis steps around her dad and gets in front of him. "MOM NO!" Alexis starts to walk towards her.

Rick however tries to stop her while staring down the barrel, so to speak, of Kate's weapon.

Alexis however just slaps his hands away and brushes him off and keeps walking. "PLEASE MOM!?"

Alexis has made it to Kate. "MOM?"

Kate looks down and can see a crying Alexis standing in front of her. So she kneels down and puts her free arm around Alexis never taking her weapon off of Rick.

These people were homicidal wackos but maybe she can save Alexis? Kate just needed a plan.

Alexis wraps her arms around Kate's neck. "Please mom, don't."


	41. Chapter 41

**CH41**

"MOM, you promised." Alexis reminds her.

Kate takes her eyes off Rick and looks into Alexis's eyes. And the scared for herself, scared for Alexis and scared for her planet Kate slowly started to be Kate the mother and Kate the fiancée.

It took a few minutes but Kate finally lowered her arm off of Rick and wrapped it around Alexis and squeezed for all she was worth. Then the tears started running down her face.

"I'm sorry sweetie." Kate whispers into Alexis's ear. Soft enough that Rick can't hear.

"I know its scary mom, but not all of us kill. That's why we hire a police force and have militaries. To protect us from those that want to." Alexis tries to explain. It's just complicated.

Rick has moved over and sat on the other side of the bed.

Kate finally opens her eyes though is still holding Alexis close and sees Rick has gotten closer though still a little far away.

"This is one seriously screwed up planet Rick." Kate now knows who it is sitting on the bed.

"Tell me something I don't know. …. Kate there are people on this planet who fight and kill for religion. If you don't think what they do you need to convert and if you don't convert then you should die.

There are people who fight to gain space or land if you prefer.

Others fight to gain access to finite resources. Water, minerals, oil amongst other things.

Still others fight because they grew up in poverty. They don't have what other people have and think they are entitled to what they don't have that others do.

Others fight for power, or at least the perception of power. The ability to enforce their will on others.

Trust me Kate, I'm only too aware of our faults." Rick tries to explain but it isn't really as simple as that.

"There is a joke based off of Star Trek, 'Beam me up Scotty, there is no intelligent life here.' … The sad part is that it hits just a little too close to home to be wrong." Rick looks and sounds sad.

"Rick if your planet ever got FTL they could conquer mine in a heartbeat. Spread out into the Galaxy killing anyone who got in their way." Kate can easily envision a nightmare.

"Well luckily for the Galaxy we can barely get off our own planet. And when we do things have a tendency to go wrong. (can't get probes to land on Mars, Apollo 13, Challenger and Coumbia Rick lists in his mind)."

"Lucy I want you to heavily encrypt anything that has to do with FTL. All of it. These people get their hands on it and my planet is doomed." Kate asks of her.

"Beginning the process now." Lucy responds.

Rick begins to crawl across the bed and finally reaches Kate's side and sits on the bed.

"I can't let you have FTL Rick. I have no idea what your people would do with it." Kate defends her action.

Rick waves his hand dismissing it all. "I don't care about FTL Kate, I only care about you." Rick moves to being down on his knees and shuffles in closer.

"I want to know how YOU are?" Rick asks her.

Without letting go of Alexis even an inch. "Truthfully?" Getting a nod from Rick. "I'm scared out of my mind. We came here thinking you would be like us. But you're nothing like us. You're planet is as screwed up as it gets Rick. …. Is there anything else I should know?" Kate's not sure she should have asked that question the moment it left her lips.

"Nothing I can think of." Rick wasn't going to shock her more than she already was.

"DAD?" Alexis however knows different.

Rick deflates. "Ok fine, just remember you asked. … The United States alone has enough nuclear weapons to destroy the planet several times over. Russia can do the same. China has a number of them. Israel, India, Pakistan, North Korea, France, Great Britain. Probably Iran by now. Not to mention anyone who bought one on the black market when Russia's economy tanked."

If Kate thought she was scared before, she's petrified now, and went back to squeezing the life out of Alexis.

"That doesn't include the thousands of gallons of chemical agents or the made to kill biological weapons that a number of countries also have." Rick adds.

Kate was ready to faint. These people were stark raving mad! How many times do you have to kill someone any way on this planet?

Kate buried her head into Alexis as far as she could. "I want to go home!" Kate whispered into her body.

Kate couldn't help it or stop it, crying seemed to be the only thing left.

Rick moved in and put his arms around both of them and let Kate cry. Kate just had one of those proverbial bombs fall on her. It was a lot to take at once.

When Kate finally calmed down a little. "Help me get her into bed pumpkin." And together they helped lift Kate up and lay her on the bed.

Kate promptly curled up into a fetal position and never moved again. On their way out of the bedroom. "Keep an eye on her Lucy. Let one of us know the moment she wakes." Rick asks her.

"I'll watch her." Lucy responds.

"Now what dad? We've grown up knowing these things and what has been done to limit what mom is afraid of." Alexis didn't know what to do. Just that Kate needed them.

"We do what we can to show her she is loved and not alone. Try and get things back to a more normal footing." Rick tells her. "Hopefully the world will calm down for us." Rick could only hope so.

"Lucy, what are the chances they will send another ship?" Rick asks her.

Lucy pops up on one of the monitors. "Pretty good actually. However their arrival may be years from now. Even with FTL it takes time to get here."

"Keep your eyes and ears open then, they need to be warned. I may want great things for my planet, but Kate is right. A Hawk 'shoot first and don't ask questions later' President, wouldn't think twice about trying to take her planet by force.

The power, prestige and ability to relieve overpopulation of the planet are just some of the things he would think about."

"Richard, just so you know, your planet already has the capability to attack the ship when it arrives should it place itself in an orbit that allows it to be attacked." Lucy tells him.

"SERIOUSLY?" Not something Rick wanted to hear.

"DAD?" Alexis was now worried.

"Lucy do your best to plot them a safe course into a safe and stable orbit." Rick asks of her, then runs his hand down his face. "Why do I see this turning into a nightmare?"

"Dad should we even let them into orbit?" Alexis was wondering if that was safe.

"You mean ask them to leave before they even get here?" Rick asks of her.

"Maybe, Kate said her ship had a shuttle." Alexis offers.

Rick thinks about it. "Lucy offer it as an option and let them decide."

"Understood." Lucy responds liking these two even more.

Kate woke up in the morning and found herself lying partly on top of Rick. She could hear his heartbeat beneath her. It was calming.

Kate started remembering last night. Kate was soon ashamed of herself. Kate had let her emotions and fear get the better of herself. Her master would be ashamed of her.

Kate knew better and she knew it.

Kate knew she should be Kate and not whoever that lady was last night, so she reached down and started to see if she could get a rise out of Rick.

An hour later a much happier Kate was in the shower with Rick having a little fun in round three and was feeling much better.

Kate was dressed and headed for the kitchen counter to have breakfast ala Rick.

"Hi mom." Alexis was already there before heading to school.

"Hi sweetie." Kate moves in and kisses her.

"Feeling better mom?" Alexis wondered since she sounded like she was.

"Yes pumpkin, much better thanks." Kate started one of her mental gymnastics lessons.

By the time she made it to work she was done and back to her normal self.

"Hi boss, ready to start our evaluation?" Javi asked her.

"Yup, let's get started." Kate, Kevin and Javi get down to business.

Their security protocols were crap.

Their server storage capacity was being used incorrectly. Their exterior doors are standard in the industry. Using a pass card to get in and around will help control who goes where and who that person is.

Their security passcode for their Wi-Fi is a joke. I'll bet my 12 year old daughter could break it.

"My 12 year old daughter who had a birthday last summer that we didn't celebrate!" Kate puts her head in her hands. "What kind of mother am I?"

Kevin and Javi decide that was a question they didn't need to answer and continued their evaluation and the recommended corrections.

They quit at a normal time and left for home.

Kate used Lucy to find out what you do for a birthday on this planet. So she picked up some party items and decided on an ice cream cake since Rick and Alexis seemed to like ice cream.

Then she stopped and bought S'mores Maker Set. Move the campfire tradition indoors with this easy-to-use S'mores Maker Set, Elephant Lamp is the Perfect Nighttime Companion and had them gift wrap them.

Alexis was already home from school but was upstairs in her greenhouse leaving Kate free to decorate.

Rick came home from grocery shopping to find Kate busy. "What's this?"

"Alexis had her birthday during the summer didn't she? … And we didn't celebrate or I would remember it. …. So we're going to celebrate." Kate tells him.

Rick was amazed. Even he had forgotten to celebrate due to circumstances. Kate was perfect and it made him love her more. Meredith wouldn't even have tried.

"This one is from me and this one is from you." Kate tells Rick showing him the wrapped gifts Kate had gotten.

Rick couldn't help but stop her decorating and kiss her. "What was that for?" Kate wasn't complaining.

"Because you are unbelievable. One day we drop a bomb on you and the next you are celebrating Alexis's birthday after the fact. … You're amazing and I love you." Rick answers back grinning kissing Kate again.

Kate can't keep the blush from reaching her face, and goes back to decorating with Rick's help.

"Lucy can you ask Alexis to come down?" Kate asks her looking at the monitor.

"SURPRISE!" Kate and Rick yell out the second she clears the door.

Kate pulls out her little something, she didn't know what it was called, and blew into it. It uncurled out in front of her and made a noise. Then curled back up when she stopped blowing.

"What's this for?" Alexis didn't understand.

"Its' your, a little late, birthday celebration that we didn't have over the summer when you turned 12." Kate explains.

Alexis was shocked. Her other mother doesn't even call her on her birthday or send a card. And her new mother goes out of her way to celebrate her birthday.

"Come on, I've got balloons." Kate grabs one of the helium filled ones and ties it around Alexis wrist.

"I've got whatever this thing is." And Kate puts it back into her mouth and blows.

"I've got cake and presents. … Oh, and I've got a birthday card." Kate grabs the card off the kitchen counter and hands it to her.

"Go ahead, open it." Kate tells her.

It was a card with a giant smiley face that said "Happy Birthday". Inside it read "Hope it puts a smile on your face".

There was also a credit card inside. "I hope that's enough to get what you want. I've also got these two for you." Kate points to the wrapped presents sitting on the dining room table along with the cake.

Alexis with tears running down looks up at Kate and suddenly sees worry on Kate's face.

"But you already gave me my present." Alexis tells her thru the tears.

"I don't see how. I'm pretty sure I would have remembered doing something even close to this during summer." Kate was confused.

Alexis just shakes her head. "You remember that day at the bridge when Evans found us and we knew we had a chance at going home?" Kate nods her head.

Alexis wipes away some of her tears. "That was when you told dad you loved him. I got my present when you said that. …. I got you!" And more tears fall and Alexis's mouth starts to quiver.

Kate slaps her hands over her mouth and kneels down in front of Alexis and wraps her arms around her and starts crying. "Oh Alexis sweetie." Is all Kate can get out.

Soon both of them are a crying blubbering mess.

They even have Rick crying as he kneels down with them and wraps his arms around both of them.

It takes a few minutes before all of them can breathe enough again to say or do anything.

"I love you pumpkin." Kate tells her. "Come on, we've got cake to eat before it melts." Kate tells her.

Alexis is smiling and wiping away tears. "Ice cream cake?"

"Is there any other kind of cake for a birthday?" If there was Kate wanted to hear about it.

They soon had cake cut out and on paper party plates that Kate had picked up along with the balloons and whatever that thing was.

"We'll celebrate your next birthday ON your birthday, now that I know what day it actually is." Kate tells Alexis.

Which only gets Alexis to shed more tears. A mother who celebrates her birthday! Now all she needed was a brother or a sister.


	42. Chapter 42

**CH42**

Rick and Kate had only just made it to the kitchen the next morning after Alexis's birthday. "You two should see this morning's news." Lucy tells them and puts it up on one of the monitors.

While Kate watched Rick moved over to the projection TV and put it on the big screen.

It had been a few days and the reporters had managed to get around the city to see what had happened. They were still forced to report by phone however along with a few pictures off of their smart phones.

Several electrical substations had been destroyed. The damage was eerily similar to the one in DC, or so Kate thought.

They had also found out that a number of high voltage transmission towers had been taken down too a lot further out.

Almost half of Israel was without power still and it was going to be weeks if not months before they could recover.

No one had taken responsibility for the attack.

"Still think this is Bracken?" Rick asks.

"Yea." Kate does too.

"But he went after a power plant if you're right last time. This is different and a lot larger." Rick points out.

"It's him, I know it's him." Kate tells him.

"Israel has been a target long before you and Bracken ever got here Kate. It's kind of a combination land and religion problem." Rick informs her.

"It's him Rick. Bracken and Coonan are behind this. I can feel it." Kate knows she's right. Kate used to be a Detective after all.

"Even if you're right, Israel is a long ways away from here. I don't see what you can do about it?" Kate may be right but how did that help them?

"Lucy synopsis of Israel if you please." Kate calls out.

Lucy proceeds to give her a short background on Israel along with its heavy support in American politics.

Kate thinks it over. "Bracken will come here eventually. If he really wants Israel he has to make it hard for the politicians here to support them. He will eventually come here and strike. And I'll be waiting." Kate wanted him and wanted him bad.

Two weeks later:

Rick had two tickets for the New York Islanders and the Phoenix Coyotes for him and Kate. They were even down next to glass just like she had asked.

They were almost directly on one of the blue lines. Kate wanted action up close and personal, she was going to get it.

Rick had offered to stop and get something to eat at their seats but Kate had declined.

Kate had however accepted to stop and buy an Islander Jersey to wear. Rick had pointed out that sitting that close to the ice it would likely to be cold.

Kate had watched them come out and warm up. Some of them taking hard vicious swings at this little black thing. A "puck" Rick had called it.

Then they went away again and Kate got to watch and listen to all the noise of the speakers.

Then the Coyotes were introduced and they skated out onto the ice and went around in a tight circle.

Then the guy over the speakers got really excited and announced the Islanders, and they did the same, only with a lot more loud and exciting music to go with it.

In no time the game started by dropping the puck in the middle of the ice.

Kate watched them skate up and down, each trying to get this puck in close.

"Where's the action?" Kate finally asked. It was like watching a bunch of girls skate around each other.

Then there was a quick disagreement in front of the Coyote goal that the Refs broke up quickly.

"Now we're talking." Kate started to get interested.

It was a few more minutes till one of the Coyotes was slammed into the glass hard just to one side of the goal on that end. Then there was a race down to the other end.

Kate was on her feet rooting him on. Then at nearly the last second he passed the puck to one of the other players and took a shot at the goal.

Kate could hear it PING off the goal post bar even from where she was sitting.

"Oh come on! How could he have missed that?" Kate sat back down dejected.

Then watched as the carom off of that shot went to another player who wound way up and took a viscous shot with the puck. However his stick hit mostly ice and almost totally missed the puck.

The goalie covered the puck easily forcing a face off on that end.

It wasn't until about half way thru the second period when things finally started to heat up. The game was scoreless and each side was trying hard to get a goal.

In three quick sequences one of the players was slammed into the glass right in front of Kate.

Rick had cringed in his seat while Kate was up and standing throwing her own punch at the glass.

The second period ended still with no score.

The third period opened with a flourish of players being slammed into the glass. Finally there is a short fight that looked more like men grabbing and yanking on jerseys instead of a fight.

Then with three minutes left in the game the Islanders finally score a goal that was actually deflected off of one of their own players.

"They count goals when the other team scores it for them?" Kate asked not believing it.

It took just as long to get home from the hockey game as it did the baseball game previously.

"Thanks Rick that was great. Can we try another sport next time?" Kate wanted to sample everything.

"Football would be next I guess. …. Kate I have a question. … You are shocked how violent we are, and I'll grant you we're pretty violent as sad as it sounds, but you were happy about the violence you just saw." Rick doesn't understand the difference.

"The difference is that this is a game and it has rules. When they violate the rules they pay a penalty. Your wars don't seem to have rules. You level entire cities killing thousands of civilians who didn't harm anyone. They're simply tagged as being the enemy and you bombed them.

And all those chemicals, bio-agents or nukes. Are they only going to kill enemy soldiers who are trying to kill you. Will they only kill the people who sent them to do the killing while they sit at home comfy and cozy?" Kate asks with pure distaste in her voice.

"Point taken. … Another question. You only have a very limited number of counties and you get along because it probably benefits you. We have hundreds of countries. Would you get along so easily if you had an equal number of counties and an equal number of languages?" Rick wonders if she has thought about that.

Kate opened her mouth to answer then promptly closed it. "Or a heavily overpopulated planet. I don't see how you manage to possibly feed this many people?" Kate's planet barely feeds the population it does have which is way under half of this planet.

"We don't actually. There are millions that border on poverty and starvation. The land they live in doesn't support their population, and it costs money to ship that much food to supplement them." Rick admits.

"Our country alone probably throws out enough food for various reasons to feed a small country daily." Rick adds.

"And yet we have food banks where people who can't afford it can go and get free food or get food stamps that is part of a government program for the poor." Rick adds.

Kate took it all in and tried to process it all. This planet was just weird.

But something was wrong. "Rick where are we going?" Kate didn't recognize any of the buildings so they weren't headed home.

"We're going to this little store I know. Trust me you'll love it." Rick was grinning.

Kate had seen that grin before. He knew something she didn't it and whatever it was, good or bad, it was going to shock her.

Rick parked and walked her around a corner and offered her to go in first.

Kate made it thru to door and stopped dead in her tracks.

There was CHOCOLATE and FUDGE! Everywhere! Kate all but had an orgasm on the spot.

Kate tried to look at everything all at the same time.

There was chocolate from Italy, Spain, Dutch, Latin America, Swiss, France, English, German, USA and Belgian.

And then there were the ones that were made right there on site.

Rick steps up. "I'll take a slice of chocolate/walnut fudge." And the Lady pulls out what looks like a loaf of bread and slices off a thick full slice. Wraps and then bags it.

Kate still hadn't moved a muscle. Rick was suddenly afraid he had over done it and she would never move. "Swiss chocolate is historically the best. Depending on who you talk to." Rick offers whispering into her ear.

Finally Kate moves in closer. "I'll take one of these and a slice of the double chocolate fudge."

Kate figured if chocolate was good, double that would be better.

Back out to the car Kate was ready to dive in. "You should probably wait until we get home."

Kate turns and looks at him like Rick had just said something stupid.

"You eat that now and you'll melt and become one with the car and Alexis and I will never see you again." Rick teases her.

Kate had to admit he was partly right but knew she wouldn't actually melt. So she waited.

Kate made it as far as the kitchen counter where she sat down and pulled out her double chocolate fudge slice.

Alexis came down the stairs seeing them come home on the monitor. "Uh-oh." Just in time to watch Kate take her first nibble after running it under her nose.

"You took her to that chocolate store didn't you?" Alexis confronts her dad. Getting a nod.

"Does she know how to get back there?" Alexis was afraid she would try and move in there.

"I doubt it, it was dark." Rick didn't think she did. Just that it wasn't on the way home.

Kate's mind was mostly gone but she managed to pull herself together to keep from eating the entire slice in one sitting.

Rick took it away from her while she was still weak and put all of it in the refrigerator. Then went back over to Kate and kissed her to bring her back onto this plane of existence.

It takes Kate a little bit but is soon responding to Rick and is kissing him back.

Rick breaks from the kiss to get some air and Kate moves her hands to either side of his face. Looking into his eyes. "Hi."

Rick grins. "Hi."

"Where's Alexis?" Kate wonders.

"She saw you eating chocolate and it's late so she went to bed." Rick answers her question wondering why she needed to know.

"Good." And Kate kisses him and starts pulling his shirt out of his pants. "Make love to me. I need to feel you."

And they start losing clothes on the way to the bedroom.

Kate had the next day off work and Rick had a surprise for her. "We're going to go see someone."

"And you're not going to tell me are you?" Kate figures. Rick loved these actions while it drove her insane.

"Come on Pumpkin, we have an appointment." Rick yells out.

"Where are we going dad?" Alexis steps out of her room.

"He won't tell me. Says it's a surprise." Kate tells her.

"Uh-oh!" Alexis had seen some of his surprises.

"What! You too? What have you done to my daughter?" Rick blames Kate for this.

Rick parked the car and lead them inside. "Hi I'm Richard Castle, we have an appointment with Kelly Solon." Rick tells the receptionist.

Kate was looking around. It said MSA and they were at New York City Location  
508 W. 26th Street, Suite 5B  
New York, NY 10001

"Ms. Solon will be right with you."

About two minutes later a lovely woman with dark hair about shoulder length came walking out. "Mr. Castle, it's a pleasure to meet you." Kelly offers her hand.

Rick shakes it. "This is Kate and this is our daughter Alexis."

"Mrs. Castle, it's a pleasure. If you will come with me we can talk about what I can do for you." Kelly leads them to a conference room.

There were pictures of commercial and residential building inside and out all over. Kate was starting to get an idea about where she was.

"So tell me what you are looking for beyond what we talked about on the phone." Kelly starts them off.

"Kate is looking to design and have built an office for her business. We already own the site it is going to go on." Rick explains again.

"I have one of my surveyors take a look at the site you mentioned. What is it you are looking to do with it?" What did her client expect.

Rick offered Kate to take over.

"I run a Corporate Security Firm. Enterprise Holdings. I presently have 5 clients with 10 employees. I don't plan on having a receptionist like you have. I had planned on having a large screen for them to interact with to reach someone. I don't really want any place for them to sit and wait either.

I expect them to find who they are after and help them straight away.

Conference room, employee break room with a full kitchen maybe. A recreation room, with weights, pool table, maybe some other things.

Desks for everyone with room for expansion. Usually 2 employees per client.

Server room with lots of room for expansion, my office. Simple, nothing fancy or overly large.

Oh and a huge greenhouse on the roof." Kate tells her getting a big grin from Alexis.

"Oh and there will be monitors in every room so we need data ports everywhere, including the greenhouse." Kate adds.

"Is there a style that you prefer?" Kelly asks taking notes.

"Lots of color, clean crisp lines, lots of glass. As much as I can anyway. Modern space age furniture and desks. Oh and the receptionist monitor needs to be large and touch screen." Kate tells her.

"Are you thinking LEED building?" Kelly knew it can help some businesses but it also adds cost.

"To a limit yes. If it means the difference between glass and LEED, then I choose glass.

"Sounds doable. Single elevator, two sets of stairwells to get our egress out of the building. The buildings greenhouse may need to be smaller than you like depending on what type of A/C system works best.

With a full kitchen we can eliminate the need for drinking fountains, however we will need at least a one person his and hers restroom on each floor. The size alone will require that the building be sprinkled." Kelly tells her.

Seeing Kate's questioning look. "Fire sprinkler system to protect the building and the people in it if there is ever a fire." That Kate understood.

"I'd prefer no fake ceilings if possible." Kate adds.

"That will mean exposed ductwork, floor joists, piping and electrical conduit." Kelly warns.

"That's fine. Can some of it be painted so it becomes something to look at instead of trying to hide it?" Kate was thinking of what she had at home that Rick had done.

"Of course. I can see you like things bold. I'll try and keep that in mind." Kelly tells her.

"Oh and can you also include a training mat with padded walls. Karate type training." Kate adds.

"Give me a couple of months and I should have something to show you and we can go thru each room and make adjustments. I should also have some preliminary pricing for you." Kelly tells her.

"And it also needs to be a very secure building. No standard exit doors and maybe a card reader just to move around inside the building and as little dead space as possible." Kate adds.

"I'm looking forward to working with you Mrs. Castle." Kelly tells her.

"Actually it's Beckett not Castle. At least not yet." Kate corrects her.

"I see, have you set a date yet?" Kelly asks. Noticing the ring on her finger, and a large one at that.

"Somewhere between Christmas and New Years in Jamaica." Rick answers for Kate.

"Christmas in Jamaica. Sounds wonderful. It should be lovely. I'll look forward to seeing the pictures. We should be able to break ground not long after you get back if we are lucky. Getting permits can sometimes slow things down." Kelly warns her.

Kate launched herself into Rick's arms as soon as they were outside and kissed him. "Thank you!"


	43. Chapter 43

**CH43**

It was two weeks later:

Rick had talked her into going to see a doctor for a simple check up.

It was a new doctor and she was putting Kate thru her paces. Kate had to strip and put on this backless piece of paper.

Kate was poked and prodded including only places Rick had seen lately.

However the doctor liked what she saw. Kate had to pee into a cup and have blood drawn to have both of them checked. Even on this planet the doctors were Vampires.

And Kate was taught how to self check for breast cancer.

Next week was a trip to the dentist for Kate.

Next morning after her doctors appointment. "You two need to see this mornings news." Lucy tells them.

Lucy puts it up on the monitor and Rick turns of the projection TV to put it on the big screen. Where Kate joins him.

It was still another phone report since a lot of Israel was without electricity still, and likely would be for weeks or longer.

This time there were huge explosions at two of Israels oil refineries. The blasts had been enormous. The blast and damage was anticipate to meet or exceed the blast at Texas City.

The **Texas City disaster** of April 16, 1947 was the deadliest industrial accident in U.S. history, and one of the largest non-nuclear explosions. Originating with a mid-morning fire on board the French-registered vessel SS _Grandcamp_ (docked in the Port of Texas City), its cargo of approximately 2,300 tons (approximately 2,100 metric tons) of ammonium nitrate detonated, with the initial blast and subsequent chain-reaction of further fires and explosions in other ships and nearby oil-storage facilities killing at least 581 people, including all but one member of the Texas City fire department. The disaster triggered the first ever class action lawsuit against the United States government, under the then-recently enacted Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), on behalf of 8,485 victims.

Smoke from both blasts can be seen for hundreds of miles. Both facilities are expected to be a total loss.

At this time there is no estimate of the number of people killed, however it is expected to be high. Plus it is unknown the number of ships that were in port at that time. It is expected that all of that were to be a total loss along with their crews.

It is believed to be another terrorist action. How they got into a heavily guarded location is unknown at this time.

This is no doubt another attack by terrorists, no doubt the same group that attacked the electrical grid earlier.

"Bracken?" Rick asks looking at Kate.

"Bracken." Kate is convinced. "Rick if Israel falls who benefits the most?"

"Palestinians would be the obvious first choice. Syria, Egypt, Iraq before they invaded Kuwait and Bush Jr. finished what his father started. Iran maybe. You think that's were he is?" Rick asks.

"Is this where your "Rags" are located?" Kate asks not knowing the area.

"A lot of them, yea." Rick knew there were others. Yemen, Libya came to mind.

"Kate you know him best, what would be next?" Rick asks her.

"Israel is in trouble. They lack electrical power and now they can't make their own gasoline or anything else that uses oil as the base product. However their military power is unaffected in the short term.

They need help and the best way to get it is to have friends help them. So who is their biggest friend?" Kate doesn't know much about Israel.

"That's easy, us. Meaning the United States. Loan them money, send them tankers full of gasoline, ship transformers and expertise for re-construction." Rick tells her.

"That means the US will be the next target. If you had a choice over spending money to fix and help yourself or your friend hundreds of miles away, who would it be? Especially when your people are screaming for help?" Kate asks.

"If the politicians don't help their own over Israel there will be riots, and if the US doesn't help Israel it will hurt their relationship. So they will likely try to do both." Rick tells her.

"If I'm lucky Bracken will come here to lead and oversee what he wants to do." Kate prays.

"Kate I have a question. That thing on your arm is a weapon. I'm betting your clients and/or your employees have asked you about it. I was wondering what you told them?" Rick was curious. "And why you haven't removed it?"

"A few have asked. I told them I had my arm crushed and that this was an experimental unit that was meant to fuse the bones together so I could keep the use of my arm.

And it's not far from the truth. I can't remove it because it is literally fused with the bones in my arm." Kate tells him.

"They must trust you a lot to permanently arm you." Rick guesses.

"There is a type of school you have to attend. They teach you how to calm your mind while at the same time how to explode into combat and how to kill or disable in countless different ways. And also teach you to look beyond what you see and to trust your instincts." Kate explains.

"Doesn't sound like it helped much when you found out about how many wars we have." Rick points out.

Kate lowers her head. "Yea, that was embarrassing. I should have reacted better. I'm sorry. It's just all the seemingly mindless or careless killing got to me till i could clear my mind." Kate tries to explain.

"It's ok Kate, I knew when you brought it up that it would lead to trouble. And your teaching sounds familiar somehow." Rick knows he has heard something like that.

"Lucy, can you look up something for me? All you can on Shaolin Kung Fu." Rick asks of her.

"Those who practice Shaolinquan leap about with strength and force; people not proficient at this kind of training soon lose their breath and are exhausted. Taijiquan is unlike this. Strive for quiescence of body, mind and intention.

While most warrior monks tend to be focused on performance geared toward the touring troupes, a smaller cadre of Shaolin warrior monks seek the traditional route that focuses somewhat more on self-defense and authenticity of techniques. In many ways, the contemporary performing warrior monks are comparable to contemporary wushu artists who focus on beautiful, elaborately dazzling form rather than original martial application and fighting prowess. The 72 Shaolin arts are more indicative of the older, original Shaolin temple fighting system and theory. Also, performing monks are not pressured to practice or study Zen, while inside the temple, at least a show of deference for the Shaolin customs is expected by the masters of their chosen warrior monk disciples."

"That does sound remarkably similar." Kate is impressed.

"There are variations of this all over the planet. There are several schools here in the States. There are probably a number of them here in New York, in case you are interested." Rick tells her.

"I just might be. It would be good to talk to another master and gain his insight based having lived on this planet. Thanks!" And Kate kisses him. "Lucy?" Kate moves over to a monitor.

Shaolin Kung Fu Training Center  
109 W 27th St., Studio 2B  
New York, NY 10001  
Cross Street: Between 6th and 7th Avenue

Utilizing the Shaolin Kung Fu tradition, incorporated with Cha'an Buddhism, the Shaolin Kung Fu Training Center uses no ranking or belt systems. Master Hengxin teaches there is no end point to a student's training, rather the potential for improvement is limitless. His students learn to not look outwardly, as in competition with or in comparison to others as a way of judging his or her own improvement. Instead, the student must look inward and learn what he or she must do in order to progress and achieve greater levels of skill. Each student develops a personal sense of achievement, self-motivation and self-discipline. In this way, Master Hengxin teaches his students the integration of mind and body. By cultivating the physical through Shaolin Kung Fu training, and developing the character through introspection and self-motivation, Master Hengxin teaches his students to sharpen the body and the mind, and to have deeper self-awareness.

Kate has her first class and meeting with Master Hengxin in three days.

"Is this where you learn to be a detective?" Rick asks, now that the topic was being discussed.

"Oh no. It is just a required series of classes if you are going to be permanently armed. In some ways being a detective is eerily similar to your Jedi Masters in your Star Wars movies. We do a number of things that they do. While we work for the council, we are technically a separate entity.

You can't hire us but you can bring up disputes or issues that we can investigate. And just like the Jedi we only investigate, we don't prosecute or convict anyone. Hence the term, 'Detective'." Kate tries to explain.

Kate had another presentation with a potential client that Rick had sent her way. Just how many people did Rick know anyway?

Just like all the others she explained what she personally could do, what she could do for their security, including building security. Background checks on all present and future employees. There would always be someone dedicated to just their business and that there would almost always be someone on-site to help them with any of their needs.

The topic of her recent dealings with the SEC was brought up and answered.

As like all the others all of the companies major players were in attendance.

She was asked to give them a few minutes and Kate left her laptop and Lucy to listen in.

In the end she left with another new client and another big fat check. That immediately went into the bank.

Then she got a call from Kelly asking if she could meet with her today. Kate told her she would be over in less than an hour, just as soon as she left the bank.

Kate announced herself to the receptionist and waited.

"Kate, I'm glad you could make it." Kelly greets her.

"Not a problem I was on my way home after gaining another new client." Kate tells her.

"That's great! Sounds like your business is growing. Good thing I have room for expansion in the design so far. Come to my office there is something I want to talk with you about." Kelly tells her and takes her past the conference room from last time and deep into the bowels off the company.

Kate got to see people sitting in front of two computer screens. There were shelves of books and sample pieces of carpet, wood, drapes and other things all over. It looked like an organized mess.

"Please have a seat. We've run across a small problem. In order to adequately heat and cool your space we need one of two things. We either need to add a basement to put some of the equipment in or we need to use up part of the roof.

Now doing either will add cost. However adding a basement will be the most expensive option, but it has both pros and cons.

A pro is that it will not affect the size of the greenhouse you have asked for. A con is that we need time to do some research to find out what utilities are down there and if they are in our way. If there is something down there and interferes with our design it will cost even more to relocate or reroute whatever it is.

Adding a mechanical room on the roof will take away from the size of your greenhouse. A pro is that it will cost less than the basement. And we will avoid any unexpected finds that we would have to deal with. In addition we could place the hot water system in this room freeing up space of the floor(s) below" Kelly explains.

"How much roof space are we talking about?" Kate didn't want to lose greenhouse space.

"Provided we don't exceed the heat gain or add more plumbing fixtures the room shouldn't exceed the width of the building either at the front or the back and be 12 to 14 feet deep. And that's if we use one of the stairwells AND use this mechanical penthouse to provide access into your greenhouse." Kelly tells her.

"So all the plants, compost bags, pots and everything else would need to go up these stairs, through this room to get into the greenhouse?" Kate asks.

"The alternative is to make the greenhouse smaller still so we can gain the needed access to the roof." Kelly tells her.

The basement appealed to Kate since she got to keep her greenhouse size. However the cost of the unknown would likely delay construction time and increase costs.

Kate sighs. "I'll take the penthouse. The unknowns of the basement scare me and what if it floods?" Kate tells her.

"However the greenhouse needs automatic watering system and a misting system and enough height for full grown trees in pots." Kate reminds her.

"The watering system shouldn't be a problem. With the mechanical and hot water system on the roof we will have access to all the water and drainage we need. I'm sure we can get you the height you need.

I needed a decision so I could get information to the structural engineer. All of this adds weight that he needs to know about. We don't want your greenhouse ending up on the first floor." Kelly tells her smiling.

"That would be bad." Kate agrees, smiling.

"Well I want to thank you for coming. Give me a couple of weeks and I can have you back in here and we can go over color schemes. You seem to want to go bold, but I'm thinking something cool to make it easy on your employees but maybe with a bold accent wall strategically placed." Kelly tells her.

"I look forward to it." Kate tells her and leaves for home.

Kate came home to a dark house. She didn't see a single light on in the place.

"Lucy, where is everyone?" Kate calls out after trying to turn on a light. However the light didn't come on and Lucy didn't answer. "Lucy?" Kate raised her arm and activated her weapon.

Kate decided to clear the bedrooms first before going up to the greenhouse then go downstairs.

Starting with the master bedroom she saw a light on under the bathroom door. When she reached to door she could hear water running.

Opening the door slowly she peeked inside. The light level was low. Kate opened the door wider and looked further inside.

Kate saw candles everywhere there was a flat surface. Then she saw Rick standing next to the tub wearing a robe. "Rick?" Kate lowers her arm and deactivates her weapon.

"Hi Kate, I'm almost ready." Rick tells her.

"Ready for what?" Kate didn't understand but it looked interesting.

"I found this new bath oil and I thought we should try it." Rick explains.

"We?" Kate was really interested now.

"Hhhmmm, I sit here and you sit in front of me. Know what the best part is?" Rick asks watching the tub fill.

Kate was pretty sure she had already heard the best part. How could it get any better?

"Alexis is with her friend Paige and will be home late." Rick informs her.

Kate was wrong it did just get better.

"All you have to do is strip and hop in after I do." Rick tells her.

Kate wastes no time and starts removing her clothes and dumping them on the floor and stands there naked waiting for Rick to finish filling the tub.

Finally turning off the water Rick drops his towel getting a grin from Kate and watches him step into the tub and slowly settle down.

"Ok, you're next." Rick tells her offering her his hand.

Kate takes it and slowly steps into the tub while watching Rick steal looks at her which gets her to tingle a little.

Then she sits between Rick's legs and settles back until she is resting against his chest. Kate lets out a slow breath and does her best to relax while leaning her head back.

Rick picks up the remote and and turns on the power to the iPod to turn on the music. Then he starts messaging her shoulder and neck. After a few minutes of this Rick gets a moan out of Kate.

Rick's hands have worked their way up to message her temples and scalp then back down to her neck. Working his way lower to her shoulders, then lower still to her arms. Finally around the front to take her breasts into his hands.

Kate was still relaxed and loving the feeling until one hand started paying attention to one of her nipples while the other hand wandered a little lower.

Now Kate was interested in this bath for a different reason.

Kate tried to move her hand behind her to get to Rick, however Rick stopped what one of his hands was doing to block her. And when she stopped trying he went back to what he was doing.

Kate couldn't help but splash water out of the tub and onto the floor and she got to scream without covering her mouth.

Rick pulled the plug and grabbed a towel and lifted Kate up to dry every square inch of her. And then escorted her to the bed where he laid down with her and let her nap partly on him while she listened to his heart beat lull her to sleep.

It wasn't until Lucy alerted them that Alexis was at the front door letting herself in while Paige's mother watched over her till she was inside that they both raised again.


	44. Chapter 44

**CH44**

It was now 2 weeks later:

"Our men in the United States tell us that they are preparing to send Israel a shipment that will be the first of a weekly shipment. Their politicians have indicated that they support sending them millions of dollars in support." A man tells the group

"How many men do we have in that country?" One of them asks.

"Not many, only three." Is the answer.

"It will take time to get more men there. Their security will be looking for people."

"We need to move people in from countries other than this one. A sudden influx from here will alert their FBI people."

"We have already told six men to travel there using different routes and methods. Two will be arriving today. Then the others in two day intervals. However those three have already obtained the necessary chemicals for the explosives."

"We need someone there to organize them. They have never met each other before."

All of them look to Bracken. Expecting him to volunteer.

"Why me? I'm not an American and have never been there before." Bracken wants to stay were it is safe.

"Your English is better than any of ours. Ours no matter how good we are at it still has a hint of our home language, and it likely always will. You however speak it like a local."

Bracken hated this idea. It was not part of his plan to be this close to it. He might get caught or trapped there after the others blow themselves into itsy bitsy pieces.

They were still all looking at him. If he refuses they will not trust him. He needs to come up with a plan to get back here as fast as he can. Before the others are dead.

"Fine, I'll go." Bracken tells them.

Two days later Bracken flies from Cairo to Libya. From there he flies to Spain. From Spain to Washington DC. From Spain to Corpus Christi Texas where he would meet up with the others.

"Now that he is gone what do we do?" One of the men asks.

"We let him stay there and do his job." As if there was another answer.

"And when he comes back?"

"He isn't coming back. You didn't actually think he was in charge? He is not Islamic and does not read the Koran. Plus his English is far too good to think he would ever be one of us. However his ideas have gotten us this far.

We will finish our plans without him."

"What if he escapes and returns here?"

"Not if someone informs the FBI about him and his location." Is the answer as they all smile.

"Are the groups in Lebanon ready?"

Hezbollah, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Popular Front for the Liberation of palestine= general Command, Abu Nidal Organization, al-Jihad, Asbat al-Ansar, Japanese Red Army and Fathal-Islam.

"They have all been approached and agree that Israel is now the weakest they have ever been. When the attack in the US takes place they will all attack at the same time all across the country.

Our President will be elected in the upcoming elections and even the Military will see that Israel will be easy to take in a few months, and we will take our place as the leader of the Islamic nation."

Halloween was only a week away and Rick had convinced Kate to get dressed up and go to a Halloween party.

Alexis had made it plain that she was too old to go trick or treating, much to Rick's sadness. His little girl was growing up on him and he didn't like parts of it.

He was sitting on the sofa going threw one of his picture books when Kate came home and sneaked up behind him.

"Is that Alexis?" Kate asks as she looks over his shoulder.

"She was five. It was one of our many trips to the local Zoo. She loved looking at all the animals. It was all I could do to keep up with her. Now we don't go at all." Rick started blinking back tears. Not that Kate from her position could see them.

Kate places a hand on his shoulder. "She's growing up Rick. You should be proud of her, she's terrific."

"I am proud of her. I always have been. I just miss these times. She needed me more. She would ask me everything." Rick's tear has made it down his face.

"She'll always need you Rick. That will never change no matter how old she gets. And when you die of old age at 120 she'll cry for weeks and remember when she was only 5 years old what you did for her." Kate moves around to sit next to him.

"So now I'm old am I?" As Kate wipes away one of his tears.

"Trust me Rick you are not old." Kate was thankful that he had her appetite and could keep up with her. He even started it sometimes. Like that delicious hot bath a few days ago.

"Just enjoy her while she is still mostly yours. One day she'll find that guy who loves her and she'll marry him and end up living with him. And even then she'll call you with all the really big questions, because you're her father who has always had an answer for her." Kate tells him kissing his cheek.

"So how did you get so smart?" Rick wonders. Kate didn't have children.

"Because that's what I wish I had when my father disappeared into the bottom of a bottle. He forced me to do everything for myself. I didn't have anyone to answer my questions. No shoulder to cry on so I didn't cry. Much." Now Kate had a tear running down her face.

"And now you have us Kate. Ask us anything. That's what families are for. No matter how small or how big. We both love you so we'll help you, always." Rick tells her hoping she will listen.

Kate kisses him for it.

"Did you sign up for those Karate classes?" Rick knows she went.

"I did. He's not the Master that I left behind but he's nice, and it gives me something from home." Kate tells him.

"If your planet sends another ship and we find out about it, would you go back with them?" Rick wonders how much she misses home. His planet obviously scared her, not that he blamed her. Hell his planet scared him sometimes.

"Without you two? Not a chance. You two are my home now." There was no way Kate was leaving without them. Though she still didn't know how she felt about Alexis wanting a brother or sister.

Kate had never considered having children. Even just the one she knew she could have at home.

"Come on babe, let's go find our girl and spend some time with her. Tell her how great she is and how much we love her. Since you obviously haven't started dinner we can take her out to eat. Some place we have never been to before.

Maybe it will be memorable. Something she will remember when she is old and gray." Kate stands and offers him to join her.

They were all back after eating out and had enjoyed the food; there had even been a locals only band that was actually pretty good.

Rick had convinced Kate and Alexis to dance with him, even though they were the only ones to dance.

"We'll have to try that place again." Kate tells Rick.

Elsewhere far, far out:

"Event complete, drive is now offline for required cool down." Someone reports.

"Position?" The Captain asks.

"Scanning now sir. …. We are only 2 clicks off our intended target location sir." Is the reply. "It will take us 1 week to traverse into the system as anticipated."

"Begin scan for the Horizon. Communication try and raise them. We need to try and find them." The Captain requests.

"Beginning scan sir." Is the reply.

The Captain can hear the communication officer attempting to raise the Horizon.

Alexis had talked everyone into playing another board game. It was getting late but she was having fun and she didn't have school tomorrow.

Rick had just rolled the dice. "Kate I'm picking up a communication. They are attempting to contact the Horizon." Lucy tells her.

Kate sucks in a huge breath and stares at Lucy on the monitor.

"Mom isn't the Horizon the name of your ship?" Alexis thought she remembered correctly.

Kate jumped up and stood in front of Lucy. "Can you respond Lucy and put them on the monitor?" Kate asks her with her heart beating fast.

"I'm attempting to gain access to the satellite array now. …. Sending response now. ….. They are responding. On screen." Lucy tells her and Lucy is replaced with the face of someone else.

Rick and Alexis have also gotten up and are standing right behind Kate.

"This is Captain Montgomery of the explorer ship Sun Rises. Identify and report Horizon."

"This is Detective Katherine Beckett. The Horizon and all hands were lost except for me and two others due to sabotage." Kate tells him.

"Reason for loss and present location?"

"Councilman Bracken got on board using a chameleon suit and destroyed the ship using explosives in the engineering section. He and one other managed to escape in one of the shuttles though I did manage to stop two others from escaping with him and put several rounds in the shuttle.

My present location is on the intended target planet, that is called Earth by the locals." Kate tells him.

"May I ask your present location sir?" Kate is curious just how far out they are.

"We are just on the outside of the system. It will take us approximately one week to achieve orbit. Who is that behind you?" The captain can see Rick and Alexis behind her.

Kate spins to see Rick and Alexis standing behind her. Kate turns back and smiles. "This is Richard Castle my fiancée and our daughter Alexis Castle." Kate smiles wider.

"I see you have managed to get to know the locals. What can you tell me?"

"I can have Lucy send you everything. I strongly suggest you and the officers review it before you make orbit or try and contact any of the locals." Kate tells him.

"You managed to save your A.I. unit? Is there a problem?"

"Yes sir there is a potential for a catastrophic first contact sir." Kate is forced to warn him.

"I take it not with the locals behind you?"

Kate smiles wider. "No sir, I'd be dead without them and they both know a lot sir."

"I look forward to reading your report. Is this how we can contact you?"

"I'll have Lucy send it immediately. And this communication has its risks for me, so contact will need to be kept to a minimum." Kate informs him.

"Then I won't keep you. Have Lucy send that report. End of line." And Lucy comes back up on the monitor.

"I'm sending the report now." Lucy tells her.

"Now what mom?" Alexis was suddenly worried.

Kate kneels down to her level. "I'm not going anywhere without you and your father pumpkin. Even if they order me on board I'm not going if I have to leave you two behind." Kate tries to calm her fears.

"Does this mean we are moving to your planet now?" Alexis asks her.

"I don't know. I'm not sure it's up to me. It's not my ship. Do we talk about wanting to move to my planet if it is an option? There is a lot to know before you make a choice like that pumpkin.

I love you but I don't want you to think you need to move for me." Kate knows there is a lot to consider.

"Not sure about Alexis but for me, we go where you go. If you want to go home, then we go with you. You adjusted to here, we can adjust to there." Rick tells her.

"We need to talk babe, Alexis has friends. Her school is here and you two aren't going to know anyone there, and you may never make it back here again." Kate warns them. "And what about Martha?"

Now Rick had something to think about. Leaving Martha behind was going to be a difficult decision to make.

Even Alexis made a face when Kate brought up Martha.

"How about you let Lucy show you what she can and then we'll talk." Kate offers.

It was now two days later:

Lucy had been showing Rick and Alexis everything she could about Tellus, and now there was a family meeting at the dining room table.

"It looks dry mom." Alexis points out.

"Compared to here, yes it is. Food has always been a problem. I'm not going to lie pumpkin, what your genius with plants could do on Tellus would be nothing short of amazing.

Power has never been a problem. The power you have at the summer home is comparable to what we have only on a larger scale.

The Sun Rises was under construction when I left. It was meant to be a search ship for a colony world. It was hoped it would find a planet that could be used to grow food and then ship it home.

I don't know how they got out here so fast." Kate was amazed.

"Would we live in the tower?" Alexis was excited about that.

"Not immediately, but maybe someday. That city is predominately Russian speaking. Though everyone knows at least two languages. You would need to learn Russian first before you could live there. But it is possible." Kate kinda bursts her bubble.

"Be we would get to ride those trains." Alexis was hoping for that at least.

"Oh yes, It's our primary means of travel. There is no way you wouldn't be riding a train." Kate tells her smiling.

"Where would we live?" Alexis was curious.

"Probably in a house in the agricultural area on the planet thanks to your genius sweetie. You would have to learn about all new plants and between school and that you would be very busy. Probably come home tired each day.

However I'm betting even for as young as you are they would put you in charge. You really are a genius pumpkin." Kate tells her smiling and proud of her. Alexis had no idea how valuable her knowledge would be on her planet.

"Is moving there even an option Kate?" Rick asks. He can tell Alexis is dying to go there.

"That would be up to the Captain of the Sun Rises." Kate has to tell them. Sun Rises may not have room for them. And it was a long trip. Not exactly a passenger liner.

It is now another two days later:

"Kate there is something on the news you three should see." Lucy interrupts them.

Rick finds the remote and turns on the overhead projector.

"We have reports of giant explosions at the oil refineries in Texas and Louisiana.

Mitiva Enterprises LLC in Port Arthur, Texas.

Exxon Mobil Refining & Supply Co. in Baytown, Texas.

Marathon Petrolium Co LLC in Garyville, Louisiana.

BP Products North America Inc. in Texas City, Texas.

Citgo Petroleum Corp. in Lake Charles, Louisiana.

These sites combined represent 2,570,746 barrels of oil per day that are processed for all types of gasoline, home heating oil and other products.

Word of the explosions has already tripled the cost of a barrel of oil on the US market. This price hike will be soon reflected in higher prices within a day or two.

As the scope of this disaster becomes clearer we can expect that gas prices will likely rise above $10 a gallon. Airline ticket prices are also likely to increase substantially, and home heating oil for this winter will be in short supply and increase in price.

This disaster exceeds the refinery explosion that took place in Texas City on April 16, 1947 where at least 581 people were killed.

There is no number for the dead or injured in this disaster at this time.

There has been no statement from Homeland Security about it being a terrorist attack similar to the ones that took place in Israel several days ago.

News personnel are presently trying to reach the affected areas. FEMA will also be likely trying to reach the affected areas along with the American Red Cross.

There has been no statement from other world leaders at this time." Rick turns off the TV.

"Bracken." Rick isn't really questioning.

"Bracken." Kate confirms.


	45. Chapter 45

**CH45**

Kate went into work the next day and found that the taxi ride cost her twice what it did the day before.

Kate also found out that most of her clients were working with a skeleton crew and only Pamela and Lanie had managed to make it into work. The rest were using her own network thru Lucy, not that they knew about Lucy yet, to do their work.

By lunch Kate told Pamela and Lanie to go home and Kate took a taxi home, finding that the cost to get home had doubled again in that short period of time.

When Kate got home she found Rick and Alexis unloading an odd assortment of groceries into the pantry.

"Didn't Alexis have school today?" Kate asks not expecting to see her.

"All the local schools are closed today and probably tomorrow as well. After that, I don't know." Rick tells her.

"You should have seen the grocery store mom. There were people everywhere taking anything they could find off of the shelves. It was nuts." Alexis tells her.

Kate looks at them puzzled.

Alexis continues to put things away while Rick walks over to Kate. "I don't know about your planet, but here. A lot of things are shipped in from other counties depending on what it is and what time of year it is.

Then they use freight trains to move it around. From there we use big transport trucks to get it to local distribution warehouses. From there it gets loaded onto smaller trucks who deliver it to local grocery stores.

Without fuel there are no transport trucks to get it to the warehouses and no smaller trucks to distribute it from there.

Soon all of the grocery stores we depend on will be empty because there is no gas to get it there." Rick explains. "And it will get worse soon. People will get what they can, try and buy it at first. But the banks will be closed so there will be no cash to buy things with. Then they will try and take what they want.

It is likely to get ugly Kate, very ugly." Rick knew his planet. People would be mad, then they would make a run on everything they could find, then they would riot to get what they want.

"So what do we do?" Kate had never seen this before and could barely understand it.

"We may need to board up all the entrances soon and hunker down to wait it out." Rick tells her.

"That bad?" Kate couldn't believe it. This planet was worse than she ever thought it was.

"Depending on several factors it could get a lot worse. In a week or two we may start hearing gun fire as people start looting to find what they want." Rick is forced to admit.

"You mean kill each other for food and other things." Kate doesn't like the sound of this.

"Possibly, yea." Rick wasn't sure it would happen but it might.

"Will we starve? Do we need to leave now?" Kate asks wondering just where they could go anyway. "The summer home maybe?"

"We won't starve, not with Alexis's greenhouse on the roof. As for going to the summer home, we can't. There is no bridge to cross to get there. Plus we would need a week or more to get supplies to load the trailer with. And there is likely very little propane left. And only enough pellets for the one winter." Rick shoots down going to the summer home.

Kate deflated, she had forgotten about the bridge being gone. "So what do we do?"

"I have the lumber and nails to board up all the doors including the two big ones. Then we sit and wait and make decisions based on what we know at that time. …. You're ship may be our only way out possibly. If they can get to us and are willing to try." Rick tells her.

Alexis had heard most of this and was getting scared, however loading the pantry was helping. "What about Grams dad?"

"Call her pumpkin, get her over here now while she still can." Rick tells her. His mother was likely to come if Alexis asked her. If Rick did it she might decide to stay where she was.

Alexis stopped working and went to her bedroom to get her cell phone.

"We need to plug all our phones into the chargers while we still have power, including the two satellite phones." And Rick headed for the bedroom to find them.

After he had them plugged in. "We need to do laundry while we still can, and we need to fill the bathtubs with water while we still have water." Rick tells her.

"It's going to get that bad?" Kate questions thinking Rick has gone nuts.

"If there is no gas then workers will not go to work. Without workers the water may go off, the power may go off, and winter is only a couple of months away. If they can't solve the problem, yea it may get worse. And by the time we figure that out it'll be too late." Rick is forced to admit.

Kate gathers up the clothes and takes them downstairs while Rick starts filling the two tubs with water. Since he had tankless water heaters there was no water in a storage type water heater.

Rick had Alexis go upstairs and fill everything she could find with water and then come back downstairs and find still more things to fill with water. Her plants were top priority. This was where they were going to get their food from, and her plants needed water.

It was now a week later:

Rick had been proven partially correct. They still had water and power. However the airlines were all grounded save for those planes that were used to deliver goods. Even UPS, FedEx, DHL and others had half their fleet grounded.

Sale of gasoline for personal use had been suspended until production was able to supply enough for private purchase. Even then there was likely to be a ration card system similar to WW II. Only trains and 18-wheel delivery trucks with military escort were on the roads.

All the gas for now went to police, fire and ambulances. Soon that list would include trucks used to deliver home heating oil, but for now it didn't.

There had been a number of riots all across the country for any number of reasons. Almost every business was closed save for those where their employees lived close enough to walk or ride their bikes.

The mass transit rail system in the city was still operational, barely. They were short workers to properly man the system. Amtrak and bus service was also suspended.

Every state had called up the National Guard to help protect convoys of supply trucks carrying food, clothing, gasoline and oil to their destinations.

A distribution system for the food had been set up and each site was heavily guarded. There had only been a couple of instances and numerous sites where a riot had started when the supply trucks were empty and there were still hundreds of people waiting.

Having the National Guard open fire over their heads with their individual weapons along with the .50 cal's mounted on the Hummers had quickly put a stop to it. Most were done peacefully.

Crime due to local gangs had increase dramatically. A large number of buildings had been burned to the ground. Every store that sold anything had been looted of everything they had in stock.

Macy's, Nordstrom's, Wal-Mart, Target, all of them were just empty shells filled with trash. Even places like Petsmart and Petco were emptied due to looting.

Home depot, Lowe's and Ace were hit even harder. There wasn't so much as a scrap of 2x4 in any of them.

Safeway, Krogers, Piggly Wiggly and others were also bare of any product and most had a fair amount of damage inside them. Even their distribution warehouses were empty and showed signs of looting.

Hospitals were mostly all open. All of their supplies were flown in by military transport and were delivered under heavy guard. Even the hospitals themselves were heavily guarded with Hummers, Bradley's and Abrams main battle tanks.

The only thing in the sky was military. Even freight trains had a military train go with each and every one or it didn't move at all.

Canada had closed its borders with the United States. People attempting to enter were turned away. Things were better in Europe but only just.

The New York Stock Market had crashed on the first day and trading had been suspended when the limit was reached and it had never re-opened. All the banks were closed. Mostly because workers couldn't drive to get to work.

California with its vast amount of Freeways was the hardest hit. Where once there was gridlock, now there was empty space.

Large cities where people didn't stock pile food like the people in Alaska, Wyoming, Utah or other states that did, were also the hardest hit.

Small towns where everyone knew everyone fared the best, though even those were feeling the strain.

Of course Martha had her own shock.

Kate and Alexis were already sitting in the living room. "Mother we need to talk." Rick had gotten her out of the spare bedroom.

Martha walked in looking around and saw a scared Kate and an equally scared Alexis. Even her son had a look of worry on his face.

"This is going to be a lot to take mother but it's also going to be all true." Rick took a deep breath.

Kate beat him to it. "Your son and granddaughter found me out in the woods, lost just like we told you. What we didn't tell you was how I got there.

I did crash out there and I was hurt. Ribs, my leg, arm and head. And they brought me back to their house and helped me heal.

While I was there they both fell in love with me and I them. Though I'm pretty sure it took me longer. I love both of them with all my heart and don't know what would happen if I lost one of them. Probably wither away and die most likely." The pain would be unbearable.

"MOM!" Alexis took exception to this theory. Rick remained silent.

"I was on a ship assigned to come here and make contact and try and open a dialog as well as study your history.

I'm from a planet we call Tellus." Kate tells her and stops talking.

Martha's mouth hangs open but she says nothing.

"It's all true grams. All true, please believe her." Alexis skirted forward to make her point.

"She crashed in an emergency life pod that was ejected from her ship just before it exploded." Rick offers up some information.

"It looked just like a giant sea urchin grams. We even watched it go over our heads and crash while dad and I were out camping." Alexis adds.

"I'd have died out there if they were not out there camping." Kate adds.

"Katherine dear?" Not believing a word of it. Her son and granddaughter had obviously grown to love this woman and even Martha had to admit that she liked her.

"I think I can help prove it. This thing on my arm is actually a weapon and not a bone fusion device. Though it is fused to the bone in my arm so it can't be removed. … Here I'll show you." And Kate activates it and points at the dining room table and fires.

A little blue ball launches from it and strikes the dining room table, enveloping it in a soft blue light which quickly fades. Leaving the table behind unaffected since it's not living.

"That was the stun setting." Kate tells her.

"OH MY!" Comes from Martha as she watches.

"Do we still have my uniform?" Kate asks looking at Rick.

Rick shakes his head. "We left it behind."

"There is Lucy mom." Alexis offers.

"Lucy I think it is time to let Martha in on our biggest secret." Kate calls out.

And Lucy pops up on every monitor in the house. "Hello Ms. Rodgers, my name is Lucy. I'm an A.I. program that Kate managed to download onto a portable drive before the Horizon was destroyed." Lucy tell her.

"A.I.?" Martha whispers.

"Artificial intelligence grams. She's this little box plugged into the server next to the toilet behind the kitchen." Alexis clarifies. "She's really cool!" Getting Lucy to smile at that.

"You're from another planet?" Martha tries to digest all this.

Alexis gets up and moves to sit next to her. "Please don't freak out grams, Lucy is very nice and mom is the greatest. … I mean Kate." Alexis corrects herself.

Martha just strokes Alexis's face. She had no doubt that Alexis loved Kate a lot no matter where she thinks she came from.

"Kate you and the others should turn on the news, there is something that you may want to watch." Lucy tells her.

Rick searches for the remote and turns on the overhead projector.

It was still another phone report since a lot of Israel was still without power. "We have reports of a massive rocket attack on the border areas of Israel. These rockets are all of the same type used by Hezbollah however the number being used is a great deal higher. There is no confirmation of this by local authorities.

I'm hearing air raid sirens now and everyone is scrambling down to the basement of the hotel we are staying in." And the phone conversation ends.

"We are getting another phone report from a different area of Israel." The lead broadcast man sitting as his desk tells everyone.

"I'm hearing a great deal of gun fire within the city center. I'm also hearing small explosions off in the distance. …. It is unclear from our vantage point on the 16th floor of our hotel balcony what is going on."

Then the sound of something loud going by suddenly can be heard. "We've just had a pair of AH-64 Apache attack helicopters just go past our balcony and are headed for the heart of the city.

We have just seen a pair of F-16 fighter bombers streaking overhead headed in the same direction.

We are being advised to head for the hotel basement." And the phone conversation ends.

"Rick?" Kate asks looking worried. This planet was homicidal to her.

"There have always been little attacks in or near Israel. There are terrorist groups that have tiny attacks all the time. Israel lives with them constantly. This sounds a little bigger." Because their power was out and their two main refineries were out of action?

"In other news the FBI has reported the arrest of a man in Corpus Christi for the bombings of the oil refineries in Texas and Louisiana. They have not released his name at this time."

"Bracken!" Kate says with pure venom in her voice.


	46. Chapter 46

**CH46**

It was one week later now:

It was estimated that the Sun Rises would be in orbit in a couple of days. Kate was holding out trying to contact them. If someone caught on to what Lucy was doing they might manage to trace it back to her.

Gasoline was once again available to the general public for purchase however it was ungodly expensive. Hence the roads were still deserted.

The stores were all empty still and food was still delivered in a central location under heavy guard for distribution to the public.

The remaining refineries had tried to crank up production but it was a struggle since the workers couldn't drive to work, or couldn't afford to drive to work in some cases. Plus even before the explosions all the refineries were working at maximum capacity.

The industry had wanted to build a new oil refinery for years, however the EPA and all the environmentalists had made it impossible to do so. Hence no oil refinery had been built since 2008. Before that it was 1998, and they were simple refineries, not the complex ones.

The largest complex refinery came on-line in 1977 in Garyville, Louisiana.

Word had leaked out that the guy arrested in Corpus Christi had gained entry into the US through Spain, while starting his trip from Egypt.

This had caused Israel to blame all of Egypt for the attack on their infrastructure and claim they would defend themselves from all attacks. The US was doing what it could to keep them calm, however a lot of politicians wanted the US to join them in an attack after the events at their own oil refineries.

Martha had taken Kate being from another planet relatively good. Martha tended not to start a conversation with Kate but didn't back away from one either.

Rick and Kate and a lot of other people had missed having Halloween.

They were all sitting at the dinner table eating dinner. "Kate you and the others should probably look at the news cast on TV." Lucy interrupts them.

Rick turns on the overhead projector for all to see easily. "We repeat our top story. The Israeli air force has attacked a number of sites in Egypt earlier today. The recently elected President Mohammed Morsi has called it a declaration of war and has ordered the Egyptian Military to mobilize to defend their country.

Also in the news is that the North Korean and South Korean militaries have started exchanging artillery fire within the last hour. The North Korean Navy has also been noticed to be powering up and moving out into the waters of the disputed western sea border between the two countries.

The South Korean Navy has been ordered into the same water to defend their country.

Keep in mind that there is no peace between the two countries, the previous war ended in a cease fire which only ended open hostilities.

The United States Navy has responded by ordering the early deployment of a Carrier Battle group with the Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) presently in San Diego. In addition personnel for still another, as yet un-named Carrier Battle group has been called up from being inactive.

Also the Carrier Battle group of the 7th Fleet with the USS George Washington (CVN-73) has been diverted to the area." Rick turns off the TV.

"North and South Korea are always taking pot shots at each other, it's probably nothing." Rick tells them mostly for Kate's benefit.

"And Egypt declaring war?" Kate asks.

"The comment was about defending their country, not actually declaring war. It's in the words they use. And the US is always sending Carriers to flare ups since it can take days or weeks to send one where they might want one." Rick blows it off.

Except Rick did know it only took one screw ball to shoot at someone for it to get out of control fast.

"Do I warn the Sun Rises?" Kate asks Rick.

"They'll be here in two or three days, I think we can wait till then. The more we know the more we can tell them." Rick offers.

Kate silently agreed, mostly because they might catch Lucy and shut down her access and leave them in the dark.

"Movie?" Rick asks hoping to lighten the mood.

Since no one wanted a movie with shooting involved in it, they watched 101 Rabbit Tales from 1982.

Mel Blanc - Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Yosemite Sam, Sylvester, Sylvester, Jr., Speedy Gonzales, Tweety, Rover, Hassan, Big Bad Wolf, Genie, Beanstalk Giant, Elvis Gorilla.

Arthur Q. Bryan - Elmer Fudd (archive footage.)

June Foray - Granny, Mother Gorilla, (archive footage.)

Shepard Menken - Old Storyteller.

Lennie Weinrib - Prince Abba-Dabba.

Kate kept in touch with all of her employees and knew that her office would be closed again today so she stayed home as well. Though she did work from home using Lucy.

"Mom can I use one or more of your USB flash drives?" Alexis asks her that morning.

"Of course pumpkin. …. Here try this one, it should be big enough for whatever you are planning to put on it." Kate hands over one of her many USB flash drives.

U32 Shadow™ 3TB External USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive

Alexis went up to her greenhouse and plugged it into one of the monitors.

"Lucy can you download everything on Hydroponics?" Alexis asks of her.

Hydroponics is a subset of hydroculture and is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions, in water, without soil. Terrestrial plants may be grown with their roots in the mineral nutrient solution only or in an inert medium, such as perlite, gravel, biochar, mineral wool, expanded clay pebbles or coconut husk.

"Great now can you download everything on desalinization?" Alexis asks.

Desalination, desalinization, and desalinisation refer to any of several processes that remove some amount of salt and other minerals from saline water. More generally, desalination may also refer to the removal of salts and minerals, as in soil desalination.

"Perfect now can you download everything about Windtraps?" Alexis asks again.

Drinking Water From Air Humidity

Research scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB in Stuttgart working in conjunction with their colleagues from the company Logos Innovationen have found a way of converting this air humidity autonomously and decentrally into drinkable water. "The process we have developed is based exclusively on renewable energy sources such as thermal solar collectors and photovoltaic cells, which makes this method completely energy-autonomous. It will therefore function in regions where there is no electrical infrastructure."

"Now can you download everything on American Indian Health and Diet Project?" Alexis had a few more ideas to have downloaded.

"Now can you download everything on Hydro-power?" Alexis had a list.

Hydro-power or water power is power derived from the energy of falling water and running water, which may be harnessed for useful purposes.

"Great, now can you download everything on Andasol Solar Power Station?"

Andasol has a thermal storage system which absorbs part of the heat produced in the solar field during the day. This heat is then stored in a molten salt mixture of 60% sodium nitrate and 40% potassium nitrate. A turbine produces electricity using this heat during the evening, or when the sky is overcast.

"Now can you download everything needed to construct and maintain the Yamaha quads we have?" Alexis was trying to think past her list she had put together.

"Oh, and on the windmill with the batteries, solar cells on the roof and the pump we use for fresh water." Alexis adds.

"One more Lucy, can you download everything on Underwater Farming: Aquaculture 101?"

Aquaculture, is the controlled or semi-controlled farming of fish, crustaceans, and plants in saltwater or freshwater openly, or with tanks. Mariculture is the same controlled farming, only using marine organisms.

Alexis was trying to think of anything else she should download. "Think Alexis, think." What was she missing?

"Oh can you also download any computer board games like monopoly with its countless versions, chess, checkers, go, scrabble, clue, trivial pursuit and its countless versions, life, backgammon, yahtzee. Basically anything that does not include combat of any type." Alexis asks of Lucy.

"Lucy, how about fishing boats? Lobster, Tuna, Shrimp. And sail boats? Big ones, little ones. How to build them, how to run them, how to do maintenance." Alexis asks.

"Oh, and greenhouses, like this one? How to make what you need to build one and instructions on how to build one. And ones bigger than this one, like the one at "The Land" at Disney World." Alexis was on a roll.

"Oh and huge aquariums like "The Seas" also at Disney World." Alexis was happy with herself.

"Downloads complete Alexis." Lucy tells her.

"Thanks Lucy!" And Alexis attaches the USB drive to a chain and places it around her neck. Alexis hoped she was ready. Alexis intended to make Kate proud of her.

Two days later schools were still closed. Food was still distributed at the same sites under heavy guard. Gasoline was still ungodly expensive and some of the oil refineries were going to need to switch to home heating oil soon or there wasn't going to be nearly enough to last all winter. Or even part of it if the winter was particularly bad.

"Kate I'm receiving a transmission from the Sun Rises. They indicate they will be in orbit within the next 12 hours. They would like an update if possible." Lucy tells her.

"Can you do it in a short burst so they can't trace it if they detect you doing it?" Kate wanted to keep Lucy and them a secret as long as possible.

"It can be done as a micro burst, however it will take them extra time to download it for viewing." Lucy warns her.

"We have 12 hours, …. do it." Kate tells her.

"Kate there is more news on the TV you should all see." Lucy tells her.

"Get the others to meet me in the living room." Kate tells her.

Kate found Rick already in the living room with the overhead projection TV already one. Martha and Alexis soon joined them.

"Open conflict has taken place between China and Japan off the disputed waters of the Senkaku islands. Two coastguard ships from both sides have been shot at and sunk. AWACS from Japan has monitored a number of Chinese fighters approaching the area. F-15's of the US Air Force have been launched from Okinawa, Japan to defend Japanese Coast Guard Vessels still in the area. There are 130 USAF fighters stationed in the Misawa Air Base and Kadena Air Base.

Japan's defense minister has vowed to defend the country's territory after three Chinese government ships entered disputed waters off Tokyo-controlled islands in the East China Sea.

The Chinese coastguard vessels sailed at about 8:30 am local time into territorial waters off one of the Senkaku islands, which China also claims and call the Diaoyus, Japan's coastguard said.

It has also been noted that a large force made up of several divisions of the Russian army and air force has been spotted moving to the border they have with the Ukraine and the Crimea area in particular. The Crimea is home to the Russian Black Sea Fleet.

Additionally troop movements have been noted in North Korea.

Also Israel has called up all active duty personnel as a response to Egyptian threats. Israel has indicated that they will not wait for Egypt to attack them again before responding to the threat to their nation, as they have done so in the past.

With the present uprising and armed internal conflict in Syria that country is not considered a threat to them at the present time." Rick turns off the TV.

Rick sits down heavily on the sofa and places his head in his hands. "Crap, they just might do it."

Kate moves over to sit next to him while Martha and Alexis sit in the love seat next to each other. "Babe?"

"If China decides to fight for the control of the Senkaku islands and the US does nothing, which is likely, then Taiwan is likely to be next.

If we allowed China to take direct control of Taiwan (even if the mainland promised to treat it as a semi-autonomous region, like Hong Kong), it would signal once and for all the end of this American-dominated era and the start of another.

The first steps to invade Taiwan would be to recall Chinese envoys, execute economic preparations and tighten control of Taiwanese businesspeople in China." Rick tells her.

"Lucy?" Kate calls out wanting an answer.

"Those appear to have been implemented yesterday. It apparently hasn't been noticed and placed on the news yet." Lucy tells her.

"Crap!" Is all Rick can say.

"How much time do we have Lucy?" Kate asks her.

"Scanning, …. Most indicate it would take China four months to make military preparations to successfully invade Taiwan." Lucy tells her.

"Will China succeed?" Kate was interested.

"Easily, though it will still be costly for them." Lucy replies.

Kate had a few choice words she would like to say but bit her tongue since Martha and Alexis were present.

Kate decided to sit there and say nothing. "Drinks anyone?" Kate offered since they had 12 hours to wait.

It was still a little early in the day but still. "Wine would be nice Katherine." Martha asks.

"Just water mom." Alexis places her order.

"Babe?"

"Water for me to thanks." Rick replied going back to talking to his hands that his head was back in.

12 hours later:

They had all eaten. Alexis had brought down more fruits and vegetables from her greenhouse on the roof, like she had been doing for days now.

"Ok Lucy, see if you can raise the Sun Rises." Kate asks her.

Soon the captain's face is on all the monitors. "Detective, we have just completed making high orbit of the planet. All of the officers have reviewed what you had sent.

I'm not sure I have words detective."

"No sir." Kate knew just what he was thinking of this planet.

"I see little option but to order you aboard the Sun Rises detective. We will launch the shuttle and you are ordered to board it and report aboard." The Captain tells her.

"I'm afraid I will have to decline sir. I'm not leaving without my family." Kate tells him.

"Are you disobeying a direct order detective Beckett?" The Captain is shocked.

"Yes sir. I'm not going anywhere without my family." Kate stands her ground.

"Katherine?" Martha wants her to think about this.

"Sir my daughter is brilliant with plants on this planet. Her skill and knowledge could revolutionize our food production sir. Alexis is a genius." Kate has faith in what Alexis could accomplish if given the chance.

This got Alexis to smile wide and worry a little.

The Captain lets out a long slow exhale of breath.

"Put her on the screen and I'll let her talk with Turner who is the closest expert we have on board. I want you and the others to leave her to talk, do not interfere." The Captain offers.

"Yes sir, thank you sir." Kate is happy.

"Alexis sweetie, just tell him what you can do and answer his questions. You're a genius at this pumpkin and I have faith in you." Kate tells her and kisses her head.

"You can do it pumpkin, you've been doing it for years." Rick tells her and kisses her head.

"Just be you dear, we're all proud of you." Martha tells her and hugs her.

They all head upstairs out of earshot of Alexis.

Up in the greenhouse Kate looks around and is once again convinced that Alexis is a genius.

No one talks. They all fear that if they say anything it will jinx everything. Everything was in the hands of Alexis, a 12 year old child.

It was a full 45 minutes before Lucy came up on the screen telling them that Alexis was finished and that the Captain of the Sun Rises was on the monitor again.

"Sir?" Kate asks using one of the monitors in the greenhouse.

Because of this the Captain can see all the plants in the background.

"Very well detective Beckett. Mr. Turner seems to agree with you and if what I see behind you is a hint at what she can do, she is going to be very popular. The shuttle will be at the coordinates given by Lucy in 20 minutes. You have that long to get ready and be on board the shuttle. End of line."


	47. Chapter 47

**CH47**

"**YES!"** Kate jumps up into the air and flies down the stairs to find Alexis.

Kate has spotted Alexis still standing at the monitor. "ALEXIS!" Kate yells at her and slams into her and hugs her tight. "I told you, you could do it." Kate goes back to hugging her.

Soon everyone else is downstairs with them.

"We have `15 minutes to pack. One small bag you can carry easily. Pack only what you can't live without." Kate tells them.

"Katherine?" Martha is not sure about this.

"Martha you are coming with us." Kate tells her looking directly at her.

"To another planet dear?"

Kate walks up and takes Martha's hands. "Martha look around. Your planet is falling apart. I haven't seen you drive a car since you take taxi's everywhere. And there aren't any of those. You would have to walk to one of the food distribution sites if you wanted to eat.

And if you think I'm taking Alexis away from you and leaving you behind, you are sadly mistaken.

I won't lie Martha, this is going to be a shock and take some getting used to. But you three will be the only living Earth people on my planet. You are going to be very popular. People are going to want to know everything they can about Earth.

And you Martha, are going to teach them. Now go pack." And Kate hugs her and takes off.

"Come on grams, I'll help you pack." Alexis takes her hand and pulls. While Rick follows them turning into his bedroom.

Kate was there throwing things into a small bag. "Remember to take your phone and charger babe."

"Why it's not likely to work where we are going?" Rick didn't understand.

"No, but the technology might come in useful." Kate tells him.

"Lucy, I need you to start downloading everything you can find. We have Alexis so concentrate on technology. Planetary terraforming, asteroid deflection, ion propulsion, cold fusion, anything on nuclear fusion, everything on hydrogen power, transparent aluminum armor, color-changing Contact Lenses that alert diabetics of glucose levels, 3D printing, everything you can find on oceanotics.

You have 10 minutes Lucy then I want you to download yourself back onto the drive, you are going with us." Kate asks of her. "Oh and Lucy, I also want you to empty my bank account and split it up amongst all my employees and put it into their bank accounts. Maybe they can get some use out of it."

Kate was done throwing some clothes into a bag and found Rick sitting at the kitchen counter with two laptops, busy typing.

"Rick, babe, what are you doing?" Kate asked.

"I'm transferring all my books I've ever written onto one laptop along with all the other books I've ever downloaded. This way we'll have some Earth literature to take with us." Rick explains never taking his eyes off the two laptops.

Kate steps up to Rick and kisses his cheek. Then she moves around the kitchen over to Lucy and the server. "How you doing Lucy?"

"Your money is transferred and I'm about half way thru your list of downloads. I think I've been discovered." Lucy tells her.

"Doesn't matter, just keep going." Kate spots Martha and Alexis coming into the living room.

"You two find anything you want to take with you. You've got 5 minutes. … Oh and take your cell phones and chargers with you." Kate tells them.

Alexis goes back to her room to get both of them and stuff them into her bag.

Kate is busy stuffing connector cables into her bag along with a number of USB flash drives.

"Mother can you take all the pictures out of the hard photo albums and stuff them into my bag for me?" Rick asks of her.

Martha moves to the numerous photo albums and starts taking photos out one by one.

"Just stuff them in the bag mother, plastic holders and all." Rick knew what she was doing was going to take too long.

"They won't all fit that way dear." Martha knew if this way there were too many.

"Just stuff what you can mother." Rick tells her.

"I'll help grams, I have room in mine." Alexis kneels down next to her and starts helping.

"DONE!" Rick closes up his laptop and unplugs it and stuffs the connector cable into his pocket and wraps up the power cable and tries to do the same with it. The big black box part was being a pain.

"Give it to me dad." Alexis takes it and shoves it into her bag.

"I've completed the download of your list." Lucy tells Kate.

"Great now download yourself into your old drive." Kate instructs her.

"Download commencing, I need 30 seconds." And Lucy goes off line.

"One minute you three." Kate yells out.

Kate gave Lucy the one full minute before she disconnected her from the server and put the connector cable in her bag along with the drive Lucy was now in.

"Times up, everyone on the roof." Kate was fearing the shuttle was already waiting.

Kate was the last one up and she looked around the place. "Bye home." And jogged up the stairs to the greenhouse.

Kate moved around them and opened the greenhouse door that lead to the small front portion of the roof. If you looked over you would see the large bay doors for the fire trucks.

"Where are you? You should be here by, …. Now." Kate sees the shuttle slide into place and start to inch closer. Then a door on the side opened.

"WOW! It looks like one of those Star Trek Runabouts, except without the warp nacelles." Rick comments as he whistles.

It obviously had a glass front for the pilots and where the warp nacelles would have been were these short stubby fins that were molded into the sleek airframe of the shuttle.

Kate threw her bag into the open doorway and then with one big step went across. "Ok Martha, you're next. Throw me your bag." Kate tells her.

Martha kind of half hands and half tosses her bag across and Kate throws it inside somewhere.

"Ok Martha, one big step. I'll catch you." Kate holds out her arms.

Martha was delaying. "You can do it grams." Alexis tries to give encouragement.

Martha takes a big step and reaches out her arms. Kate grabs them and pulls, and the two of them disappear into the shuttle.

Kate is soon back. "Ok sweetie, you're next. Throw me your bag."

Soon Alexis and bag are across. "Ok babe, you're next."

And like Alexis, Rick and bag are across.

Kate closes the door and steps up to the two pilots who are exposed to the entire interior of the shuttle. "We are clear, you can go." And Kate grabs something and continues to stand there.

Behind her, the others are sitting on a bench on either side of the shuttle. Their bags are all being stowed under the seat are they are on.

A little later, Kate can hear and see warning lights. "What's wrong?"

"Scans indicate two high speed objects headed our way. Scans indicate they are armed."

"Probably a pair of fighters. …. Get us into space, NOW!" Kate goes back to the others.

"Something wrong?" Rick asks.

"We have company." Kate tells him and starts pressing buttons near were each of them are sitting.

They each feel something funny soon covering them on the front. "Katherine?" Martha can feel it, and see it as a light blue glow, that looked like spider web but didn't know what it was.

"Nothing to worry about Martha, it's just our version of a seat belt." Kate tells her and sits down next to her and presses her button.

"Hang on back there." Comes over the speaker. And soon the shuttle is rocketing straight up. Behind them they leave a sonic boom that blows out a large number of windows, and they are in space in a couple of minutes.

Watching their scanner they can see the pair of F-15 fighters falling behind, though they are still attempting to follow them and not falling behind as fast as they would like.

"We have feet wet." Comes over the speaker. With their scans showing the two F-15's had to give up.

"Mom?" Alexis asks not understanding the term.

"It means we are in space pumpkin." Kate explains.

"COOL!" Comes from Rick and Alexis at the same time. Getting Kate to grin and Martha to just shake her head at the two of them.

A few minutes later. "We are coming up on the Sun Rises." Comes over the loud speaker.

"Can we go see?" Rick asks all excited.

"Sure." Kate tells them. It was just a ship after all.

Rick and Alexis struggle. "How do you get out of this thing?" The Webbing held them in place.

"You press this button here." And Kate shows them her button.

Rick and Alexis are soon up and headed for the front so they can see out.

What they see is a long smooth cigar like shaped object with a flat disk way at the back, that circled the ship that looked to be held in place by five big spokes. It was really big and looked out of place next to the rest of it.

"It has spines on its nose dad. Just like Kate's giant sea urchin." Alexis points. "Kinda makes it look like a sea lion or something."

Rick thought of it as more whiskers than spines, but they did look similar.

"What is the big disk thing at the back?" Rick asks.

"That creates the field for the new drive. …. Hang on we are going to start docking procedures."

And a large hole in the side of the ship opens up and their shuttle approaches it then suddenly spins in place and starts backing up.

All Rick and Alexis see is stars out in space. The pilots are looking down at their displays.

Then Rick and Alexis can see the inside of the ship on each side and watch as the flight deck outer door starts to close.

"We need to wait for the bay to pressurize before stepping outside." And the two pilots get up and step to the door leading out and wait.

"All green detective." One calls out and opens the door and then they stand to one side.

Kate presses the button for her and Martha. "Grab your bag Martha." While Kate grabs hers.

Kate and Martha step up to the door. "Grab your bags you two." Kate tells Rick and Alexis before stepping outside.

Kate waits for the others and walks them over to the airlock. So far this ship looked at lot like hers.

Kate steps inside and waits for the others.

Once the system cycles Kate opens the inner door and Kate steps thru. "Detective Beckett and guests requesting permission to come aboard."

"I'm Detective Cain, permission granted. … If you and your guests will follow me I'll show you your quarters so you can stow your gear. Then the Captain would like all of you on the bridge." Cain tells them.

Cain and Beckett chat on the way however Rick and Alexis are too busy spinning their heads to look everywhere to pay attention to what they are saying.

Eventually Cain stops. "This is yours. You are on deck C sector E room 8 as designated by this tag here." And he presses a large panel just under it. "I'll wait here and let you stow your gear, then we can visit the facilities if anyone needs to, then I'll escort you to the bridge." And Cain steps to one side.

The room was small and tight, just like Kate knew it would be. You could barely get past another person it was so tight.

There were bunk beds on each side with a curtain to close it off from the others.

"You lift your bed like this." And Kate takes an upper and lifts the mattress. "Then you pull this rod up and place it here. And this space below the bed is all you get for your worldly possessions on the ship." Kate explains.

"To get in the upper bunk you slide this little ladder here into place and then back over to allow access to the bunk below." Kate slides her ladder over and then back again.

"You might want a lower Martha, and pumpkin you might be better off with a top." Kate tells them.

Rick lifts the lower below Alexis and leaves it open for Martha and does the same for Alexis before turning to open his.

Kate meanwhile has been unpacking and then tosses her empty bag on the mattress, then helps Alexis with her things. It was kinda tall for her.

"Remember, C-E-8. Ask anyone if you get lost, which isn't hard to do." Kate reminds them, and then opens the door to find Cain waiting for them.

Cain escorts them down a hallway. "This is the communal facilities for this deck. One side for men and one for women." And he keeps walking, never leaving the deck they were on.

He stops at a door and presses a button and waits. The door is opened from the inside and Cain invites them in.

Kate is first and steps forward. "Detective Beckett reporting as ordered sir."

"Beckett it is good to see someone from the Horizon." And the Captain shakes her hand.

"This is my fiancée Richard Castle, our daughter Alexis Castle and this is Rick's mother Martha Rodgers." Kate introduces them.

"Wecome aboard I'm Captain Roy Montgomery. I'd like to say it is a pleasure but after the info packet Beckett sent us, I'm not so sure." Roy is blunt.

"I don't blame you Captain, there are a number of things about my planet that I'm not proud of. … I have a question Captain. Can your ship be detected by radar?" Rick is a little worried.

"We are visible if scanned from the planet yes." Roy didn't understand.

"As much as it pains me, there are at least two and probably three countries capable at taking shots at you to shoot you down if they decide you are a threat. Are you presently at maximum altitude above the planet and still hold orbit? If you are presently, I suggest you move to an orbit of the moon." Rick tells him.

"CRAP! … Helm, break orbit and take us to a high orbit of this planets natural satellite." Roy barks out.

"Yes sir, breaking orbit …. Now."

"ETA to new orbit is two minutes, … mark."

"Thank you Mr. Castle." Roy tells him.

"Just Castle or Rick will do. Adding a Mr. makes me feel old." Rick tells him. Getting a giggle out of Kate and a grin from Martha.

"New orbit achieved Captain."

"Captain scans are picking up two large energy flashes on the planet."

"Sound General Quarters." And suddenly the lighting turns bluer and it gets darker. "Report."

"I have a small number of high energy discharges on the far side of the planet. Centrally localized."

"On screen." The Captain orders, and suddenly a misty cloud forms in the center of the room and lights are directed onto it to show the display of the scan.

The room is round with work stations all around the edge, and the Captain moves to the far end and sits in a slightly larger chair that has arms, unlike all the others.

"Do you recognize this area Castle?" Roy asks.

Rick steps up. "Can you magnify this area here?" And Rick puts his finger into the mist and quickly withdraws it.

"We find that the mist works out better in case the Bridge takes damage for whatever reason. The display doesn't shatter and injure bridge crew this way." Roy explains.

And Rick watches as the display zooms in closer. "That is an island we call Japan. Can you zoom in closer still?" And Rick watches it do just that.

"This flash would be about where the main city Tokyo is located. About a little over 13 million people. And this one down here would be about where the US has a large Air force and Naval base on Okinawa." Rick guesses.

"Is it weapons fire?" Roy asks.

"Not directed at us sir. …. Scans suggest it was a large localized event on the surface. …. I'm reading a large increase in radiation sir."

"They nuked Tokyo and the US base. Was there a large object that achieved orbit briefly and then descended onto these locations?" Rick asks.

"Nothing has achieved orbit since we got here sir."

"Probably an artillery shell or cruise missile carrying a tactical nuke." Rick mumbles out.

"A nuclear device?" Roy asks shocked.

Rick nods his head. "A tactical nuke would be in the 1 to 2 kilo ton range. The bigger ICBM's are closer to 30 to 40 kilo ton. Most of these are capable of carrying up to 10 warheads each.

1. Vaporization of matter by the tremendous temperatures within the fireball;

2. Prompt radiation dose carried by neutrons and gamma rays from the fission reactions;

3. Thermal radiation: heating, burning, and charring by the thermal energy radiated by the fireball;

4. Delayed radiation doses from radioactive fallout in the form of fission products and neutron-activation products deposited downwind of the explosion; and let's don't forget the

5. Shock wave propagating outward from the blast, carrying a pulse of crushing overpressure followed by powerful winds. This over pressure would be as follows:  
15 psi: 1.21 miles  
5 psi: 2.23 miles  
2 psi: 3.91 miles  
1 psi: 5.75 miles  
0.25 psi: 14.76 miles  
0.1 psi: 30.24 miles

"MY GOD!" Roy was now officially scared of this planet. "Just how many of these, THINGS, do you have?"

"Thousands." Rick is forced to tell him. "20 maybe 21 thousand nuclear devices total worldwide. Not all of them are these ICBM's. The United States alone has enough to destroy the entire total earth land mass at least 6 times." Rick wasn't sure if he was trying to scare Roy or not. However by the look on his face, he was doing just that. "Russia has an equal number of them."

"Дерьмо!" Rick didn't a translator to figure that one out.

"The United States used to have over 30,000, now they have just over 5,000." Rick hoped that helped.

It didn't!


	48. Chapter 48

**CH48**

It was almost 6 hours later"

"Captain, scans indicate there are new energy flashes similar to the previous ones."

"On screen." The view moves out and expands to cover more territory.

Roy is watching it all wondering what it means. "Have the Castle family report to the bridge."

Rick, Kate, Alexis and Martha are soon escorted to the bridge.

"Castle, since this is YOUR planet." Roy offers him to inform them all.

Rick didn't really like the way Roy said it, not that he blamed him.

"Can you zoom into this area here?" Rick asks. Looking a the map in the mist.

"This looks like Shenyang or Harbin. … This looks like Beijing. …. This looks like Shanghai. …. And this looks like Hong Kong.

8 million, 21 million, 24 million and 7 million people in that order." Rick hangs his head low.

"Were there any objects that achieved orbit before returning to the planet surface?" Rick asks.

"No items have been detected." Is the answer given.

"Probably a retaliation strike on China by the United States for the bombing of Japan." Rick was ready to collapse.

Alexis steps up. "Dad?" Alexis takes his arm and holds on tight.

Martha steps up and places a hand on him. "You alright kiddo?"

"No mother I'm not alright. 70 million people just went poof. …. How is any of this alright?" Rick's voice has gotten louder.

Kate now steps up and latches onto his other arm. "Rick?" Kate whispers.

"What Kate? I'm up here watching my planet blow itself to hell and gone. I'm up here perfectly safe instead of down there dying with all the others." Rick was losing it, fast.

"Detective Beckett, If you'd like to escort your family to medical?" Roy offers.

"Yes sir, thank you sir." Kate starts guiding Rick to the door.

"Have detective Cain report to the bridge immediately." Roy orders. "And alert medical, they may need to place Castle on suicide watch."

Rick wasn't listening anymore; however he did stop at the door but doesn't turn around. "I 'am sorry Captain, so very sorry."

"Detective Cain reporting as ordered sir." Cain enters the bridge.

"Detective Beckett's A.I. is on board, has she been connected for communication?" Roy hoped Lucy had some answers.

"No sir. I can have her connected to the auxiliary port here on the bridge if you like." Cain offers.

"Proceed, I have a lot of questions for her." Roy orders.

Half an hour later Cain is leaving the bridge after connecting Lucy after having to order Kate to hand her over. Captains orders.

"Lucy I have a number of questions." Roy tells her.

"I will provide answers if I have them sir. Proceed." Lucy tells him.

An hour later Roy has learned about the damage a tactical nuke is capable of. Learning that 70 million people have not really been killed. More likely less than half that number. However the radiation is likely going to wreck havoc on the planet.

Medical was waiting for him by the time Rick and the others got there. The nurse got him on one of the tables and sedated him. "That should hold him for about 12 hours. I'll get one of the doctors in here to start full medical work up on all of you. We need to do that anyway so now is a good time. Spread out and each of you can take a bed, I'll go find a doctor and we can get started." The nurse leaves and Kate helps Alexis up onto one of the tables and watches Martha take one while she takes the one on the other side of Rick. Turning her head to watch him.

The doctor walks in and approaches Kate who still has her head turned to watch Rick.

"Well, let's see what we can do first." And Kate snaps her head around. She knew that voice.

"JOSH!?"

"KATE!?"

"What the hell are you doing here?" Josh was the last person she ever expected to see on this ship.

"I was assigned to this ship. I thought you were on the Horizon?" Josh however has started to get happy. The universe has given him another chance with Kate.

"NURSE!. …. NURSE!" Kate yells out loud enough to almost break glass.

"What's going on?" The nurse walks in.

"Get this incompetent asshole out of my sight!" Kate sits up and gets off the table and starts poking Josh in the chest, hard.

"If this piece of shit so much as lays a finger on my family I'll break every bone in his pathetic excuse of a body." Kate was warming up from mad to furious. Needing to start her mental exercises to calm down.

"Kate?" Josh doesn't like where this is going. Wait, she said something. "FAMILY?"

"MY fiancée, daughter and future mother-in-law. … And it's a good thing you're a doctor. You can fix all of your own broken bones if you don't get out of my sight and stay that way. Permanently!" Kate's first mental exercise wasn't helping. "NOW, GET, LOST." And Kate pokes him hard at every word.

Josh makes a hasty retreat for the door.

"Dr. Davidson is a, …." The nurse stops talking under the glare Kate is giving her.

"I'll go find Dr. Harrison." And the nurse also makes a strategic withdrawal.

Kate starts back for her table to lie on. "Katherine?" Martha questions.

"Josh is an old boyfriend. Years ago. He's an ass!" Kate explains not really wanting to talk about it.

"MOM?" Alexis also questions.

"Well he is an ass." Kate hops back up on her table and lies back down.

"Way to go mom!" Alexis is impressed.

Kate just lies there grinning until Dr. Harrison comes in.

"I'm told you are Detective Beckett of the Horizon. Word spreads fast, you have been on Earth." Dr. Harrison tells her.

"For a number of months yes." Kate confirms.

"How exciting. … Well let's take a look at you." And he begins his examination, partly fearing she has picked up a new bug.

"Your blood work is a little off, have you been involved in something that involves combat?"

"No nothing lately." Kate tells him.

"MOM?" Alexis knows better.

"Fine I threw out Josh on his ear. He's an ass, he deserved it." Kate admits.

"Well that might account for some of it. Let's see." Suddenly there is a sound of something beating fast.

"What's that?" Kate asks.

"That Detective Beckett is the sound of your baby's heart beat." Dr. Harrison tells her.

"Ba, …. Ba, … I'm having a, …. Ba. …." Kate stops babbling.

"The word you are looking for Detective is baby." Dr. Harrison is grinning. "Did I hear right, Alexis is your daughter?"

Kate suddenly had a chill. "Yes." Kate whispers.

"I think I'll go talk with the nurse for a few minutes." And the Dr. leaves.

Kate gets up and sits on the edge of the table.

Alexis is up and off the table the second the Dr. leaves. "Mom, you're pregnant? I'm going to have a brother or sister?" Alexis is happy beyond words.

Martha has gotten up to and is standing next to Kate. "What Katherine?" Martha sees the look on her face.

"We have a food shortage so we have a very strict population control. No woman or man can have more than one child." Kate explains.

"But Alexis isn't yours Katherine. … I mean by blood, not mother." Martha amends her statement.

"It's alright Martha I know what you meant. However it doesn't matter if she is mine by blood or not. She's my daughter. My ONE child." Kate tells her.

"Oh no Katherine, they wouldn't do it. They can't do that. Please tell me they wouldn't force you to, …." To Martha this good news just turned into a nightmare.

"No Martha they won't abort the baby. We're not that cruel. However after the baby is born I will be having an operation and so will Rick." Kate tells them.

"MOM?" Alexis didn't understand.

Kate looked at Alexis. "They will essentially tie Ricks tubes so he can never get another woman pregnant for the rest of his life. And they will permanently remove my ability to have any more children. Not just tie my tubes." Kate explains.

"Oh Katherine!" Martha wraps her arms around Kate. Martha never guessed that having a child could cost so much. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm having a baby, that's what I'm doing and Alexis is going to have a brother or a sister. That's what I'm going to do. And he or she is going to be gorgeous and loved till the day I die." Kate tells them.

"I just hope Rick doesn't hate me for this." Kate really was scared. Rick didn't know he was in this too.

"Katherine, my son may be shocked but hate you is something he will never do. Well unless of course he has to have his, …. cut off." Martha smirks.

"Now that would a shame Martha it's such a nice, …." Kate grins back.

"Eewww. MOM!? …. Really?" Alexis feigns being grossed out. Getting Kate and Martha to laugh.

Dr. Harrison chooses this moment to return. "I take it your family has been informed?"

"Yes Dr. they have. All except my fiancée over there." Kate points to the unconscious Rick lying on a table not far away.

"I don't understand, permanently? You can't just tie her tubes too?" Martha asks not liking the cost of this miracle.

"It may seem severe but our food problem could turn into a catastrophe if we did not control our population. At the moment we do not have a major problem. But it is a serious balancing act. It's why this ship is out here. We were headed to a system that may have a habitable planet until we were diverted to here first.

If or when we solve our food problem all that may change. However until that time this is the solution we all live with. And tying her tubes is not 100% effective.

Detective Beckett will live a long and happy life, just without giving birth to more children." Dr. Harrison explains.

"But this is her first child?" Alexis complains.

"Detective Beckett said you were her daughter." Now Dr. Harrison was confused.

"My granddaughters birth mother doesn't want her, however Katherine does. So Katherine has become her mother." Martha informs him.

"I see, however it changes nothing. That same condition has happened on Tellus several times." And Alexis's and Martha's bubble bursts.

"It's alright you two, honest. I knew what would happen if I got pregnant and came home someday. It's alright, honest." Kate takes a hold of them one at a time.

Dr. Harrison proceeded with all of the other health examinations except for Rick. He had to wait for him to be conscious.

Rick woke up and soon saw the smiling face of Kate in front of him. "Hi, how do you feel?" Kate asks.

"Honestly, I feel like a truck ran over me." Rick answers.

"You look like one too." Kate tells him still smiling.

"Oh thanks, I love you too." Rick teases back. "Where am I?" Rick didn't recognize this place.

"You're in the medical bay. They need to give you a physical before you can leave." Kate informs him.

"Where are the others?" Rick doesn't see them.

"We've all had ours and Alexis and Martha are in our room." Kate tells him.

"So where is this Dr.?" Rick asks.

Kate grins and bends down to kiss him. "He'll be here in a minute."

And as promised Dr. Harrison enters and gives Rick his physical examination.

"You are set to go. The captain has requested your presence on the bridge when I was done. Both of you." Dr. Harrison tells them and leaves.

"Know what it's about?" Rick asks Kate.

"No. Except for a quick nap I've been here waiting for you." Kate tells him. "Shall we go find out what he wants?" Kate offers her hand.

Rick takes and pulls it down to his mouth and kisses it. "Let's."

Kate leads him to the bridge.

"Castle, Detective Beckett. How are you two feeling now?" Roy asks them.

"Better thanks. Anything new happen?" Rick asks.

"There has been only one more nuclear detonation. Not far from what you call China and Japan." Roy tells him.

"Show me, please." Rick asks.

"On screen." Roy orders.

Rick drops his head onto his chest. "Seoul, South Korea. About 9-1/2 million. … Anything else?"

"According to your news casts that we listened to some place called Russia has invaded and taken a place called Ukraine. And a battle is taking place in North Korea. And a place called Israel is in a battle with a place called Egypt." Roy tells him.

"I can let you listen to the recordings if you like. There has been a great deal of information about what and why if you are interested?" Roy tells Rick.

"I'll think about it. Nothing else?" Rick asks.

"So far no. The rest of your planet is amazingly quiet." Roy tells him. Which Roy thinks is a miracle considering just how many weapons this planet has.

"So after a few million deaths cooler heads prevail. And everything returns to normal." Rick comments. "What happens now Captain?"

"My orders were to come here and make contact with the Horizon. Then I move on to my original mission. Survey a possible planet for colonization in a different system that may hold a clue to our food problem." Roy tells him.

"And what do we do?" Rick knew his home, such as it is, was still there.

"I'm leaving in six hours to complete my mission. What you do is up to you and your family. You have a lot to talk about." Roy tells him. "Detective Beckett."

"Yes sir, thank you sir." Kate is grateful for the offer. "Come on babe we need to talk." Kate prays Rick won't hate her.

Rick followed Kate since she obviously knew where she was going and found Alexis and Martha in their room.

"DAD!" Alexis hopped out of her bunk bed and wrapped her arms around Rick.

Martha climbed out of her lower half. "How do you feel kiddo?" Martha was worried about him. He was her son after all.

"I'm better mother, thanks. They nuked Seoul, another 9 million people." Rick tells them.

Martha hangs her head low while Alexis doesn't really understand it all, but knows what 9 million means.

"I'm at a loss mother. Our planet is hemorrhaging, it must be hell down there." Rick tells her.

"Are they telling us to go back down?" Martha asks. It was home, but not the home she remembered.

"No Martha they are not, we have options we need to talk about and we have less than 6 hours to decide what to do." Kate tells them.

"Are we going to your home mom?" Alexis liked this idea.

"That is one option. However the Sun Rises is going to what they hope is a potential colony planet first, then go home." Kate explains.

"They want to drop us off on an uninhabited planet with no shelter, no food?" Martha did not like this option.

"Kind of yes. If we chose this we and about half of this ship would be left there to start building temporary places to live. The Sun Rises would go home and report what they found, then ships would show up to drop off supplies and more people.

A courier ship if you will be set up to make regular runs between this planet and home. Bringing more supplies and possibly more people. Then when food production is high enough they will ship supplies into the planet and food would get shipped out." Kate explains.

"If we stay there does this mean you and dad don't have to get an operation?" Alexis asks very hopeful but not knowing Rick didn't know yet.

Rick turns to look at Kate. "What does she mean operation? What operation?"


	49. Chapter 49

**CH49**

Kate takes his hands in each one of hers. "Rick, … babe, …. I'm pregnant." Kate cringes for what she fears Rick will say.

"Pregnant! …. You're pregnant?" Rick asks staring at her. Kate just nods her head.

Rick pulls her into him and crushes her in a giant bear hug forcing the air out of her lungs.

Kate had initially resisted and then melted into Rick. He wasn't mad.

Martha had started breathing again and Alexis was hugging Martha since she was to only one free to hug.

"You're pregnant." Rick whispers. Kate just nods her head which is up against his chest.

Rick kisses the top of her head then pushes her away. "What has this got to do with an operation?" Rick didn't understand that part.

"Tellus has a food problem, that I'm betting Alexis could help solve since she is a genius at this stuff. … As a result we have a very tight and strictly enforced population control. … Each couple can only have the one child. Just the one. …. Alexis is our one child." Kate cringes.

"One child?" Ok if things were that bad Rick could see that. Then it hit him. "They wouldn't!?" Rick starts huffing trying to get air in. "They can't. Kate! My god Kate, they aren't, …"

Kate interrupts him and takes his head in her hands. "No babe, no. We can keep the baby. … But we both will have operations to prevent either of us from having another child. Permanently." Kate stops him from going off the deep end.

Rick takes a moment to process. "Ok we have our tubes tied, I can live with that. … I think?"

However Rick sees Kate shaking her head. "You'll have to get your tubes tied, however doing mine is not 100% effective, so …." Kate trails off.

"NO KATE, … NO! …. Just plain no. Tubes can be untied hopefully sometime in the future after the food issue is resolved. What you're talking about is permanent Kate. No, just plain no." Rick was going into shock.

"It's alright Rick, it's alright. I already knew this would happen if we ever moved to my planet someday. It's alright, honest." Kate tried to get him to see. This was how things were and she knew it.

"No it's not alright. If Alexis solves this in a year or two, everyone else will be having more children and you won't because you literally can't. How is any of this alright? … Do we have options? Is there a way out of this?" Rick looked at her praying she knew something.

Kate was going to let herself get butchered all because she was pregnant with his child.

"There is one, … well two really. …. One is we go back down to your planet to live." Kate tells him.

"Go home to a planet where we can't afford to buy gas to get around in a country that lives with you needing a car. Where I don't know how much of the planet is going to glow in the dark from all the radiation. … And all those radiation filled clouds are going to spread it all over the planet.

Plus heavy fighting in other parts of the world.

The radiation will spread and we'll all get cancer in 20 or 30 years and then die from it." Rick lets out a long exhale of breath.

"What's option two?" Hoping it was better. Going to Tellus was out as far as he was concerned. Kate wasn't going to get butchered simply because he got her pregnant.

"We hope there is a colony planet where the Sun Rises is going and we stay there. With Alexis's genius, she'll have more food for all of us than we know what to do with. Our baby will be born there and grow up there." Kate explains option two.

"I like that option a lot better." Rick tells her.

"It will be hard Rick. Lots of hard work and there will likely be risks and challenges. We'll have power, but no indoor plumbing and probably no A/C in summer and basic heating in winter. It will be hard Rick, at first very hard.

As supplies come from Tellus it will get better, but that will take months. As a colony we will be on our own." Kate warns him.

"So it'll be the summer home only a little more basic. With a little time we could have what we had there. I can hunt; I understand the windmills we had with the battery back-up. As well as the water we got from the stream, and I can cook." Rick was starting to like this idea.

Kate was smiling, he was taking this idea better than she thought he would.

"I could even put together some quads if we had the parts." Rick could take theirs apart and fix them if he had to. And this idea had Alexis smiling, she loved her quad.

"Dad I have all that on my flash drive. " And Alexis pulls out the USB flash drive she has on a chain around her neck and holds it up to show him.

"That's why you wanted one of my flash drives?" Kate remembers. Alexis just nods her head.

Kate kneels down and wraps her arms around Alexis and squeezes. "I knew you were a genius with plants pumpkin. I just didn't know you were a genius, period." Kate was more than impressed.

Alexis just stands there blushing. "I've also got a lot of other stuff we can use on it too." Alexis adds.

"Like what sweetie?" Kate had an idea depending on what she had.

"Hydroponics, desalinization, hydro-power, solar power, American Indian desert food, and a few others." Alexis tells her.

Kate instantly goes back to hugging Alexis tight. "I love you pumpkin." Kate was starting to blink back tears. Kate loved Alexis so much.

"I guess that solves our question on what to do." Rick comments.

Kate stands and reaches out to Martha. "You've been quiet Martha." Kate had noticed.

"I'm just an old women Katherine. Life back home seems to be gone. Life on your planet sounds difficult and life on this colony planet you are hoping for sounds even harder." Martha felt lost.

"Oh Martha please don't. You're coming with us and we all know it. Besides you've lived the longest on Earth. My people are going to want to know everything you know about it.

Maybe we could have weekly talks with the others. Maybe you could put on one woman plays to demonstrate. We could build sets and sew you some authentic looking costumes for you to talk to them in?" Kate was dreaming up options.

Earth was just a dream to the people on Tellus. Now they had a real live Earthling to talk to. Martha was going to be very popular.

Up on a stage acting again to an audience that wanted to hear her. "I could do that." Martha was an actress and maybe she just gained a new audience that didn't know any of the old shows, plays or movies. This just might be fun.

Kate was suddenly happy. While Rick steps over. "Thank you mother." As Rick lightly kisses her cheek.

"Come on pumpkin I need your help to convince the captain. … we'll be back." And Kate takes Alexis out the door.

Captain Montgomery listened to Kate's presentation and had Alexis tell him what she had on her flash drive.

Roy had asked a few questions, especially on what desalinization was. Since Tellus didn't have any salt water oceans.

"Have Mr. Turner report to the bridge immediately." Roy ordered.

Kate was forced to go thru her presentation one more time and had Alexis answer his questions.

"Sir, I would like to formally ask for Alexis to be added to our survey team. And since she is so young, her family will need to go with her. Sir." Turner asks.

"WOO, HOO!" Alexis shoots her hands up in the air.

Kate was giggling, Turner and Roy were smiling. "Navigation, plot us a course out of this system to our next destination. Helm take us out of orbit and soon as you have a course. Best speed out of this system." Roy wanted some distance between him and this nightmare of a planet.

"Welcome aboard Miss Alexis. You three are dismissed." Roy tells them smiling.

Once outside the bridge. "You have all that on this little thing?" Turner verifies.

Alexis just nods her head.

"And you know about everything that is on that?" Turner asks wondering.

"Most of it." Alexis whispers.

"Then you little miss Alexis are about to become very popular. I expect to see you two in a couple of days. We need to go over who is going to do what when we get there.

This little trip may just turn out to be very exciting." Turner walks off.

Kate and Alexis are back at their quarters. "How did it go?" Rick asks wondering if he had to go beg someone on Kate's behalf.

"Alexis has been added to the survey team for the colony planet." Kate states proudly.

"That's wonderful dear." Martha is proud of her. "Does this mean they will not operate on you Katherine?" Please say they won't.

"If there is a planet to colonize and if we choose to remain there, then no. Neither of us will require an operation." Kate tells her.

Martha places her hands over her heart. "Thank god."

"Alexis will need to start joining the survey team meetings from now on. The next one is in a couple of days." Kate explains.

"One of us will take her, shouldn't be a problem." Rick is sure they will have the time.

"Just when do we get there?" Rick asks, meaning how long are they going to be cooped up in this little room.

"Actually not long at all. We broke orbit of your moon before we even left the bridge, so we are already under way.

As to how long, that was a bit of a shock." Kate tells them.

"Seems they perfected a new drive while I was gone. The Sun Rises has this new drive.

We will be spending a week to get out of your system. Far enough away from this systems gravity well then they activate the new drive.

It's hard to explain really. Think of it as a jet stream. If you travel against it you slow down. If you travel with it you speed up.

That big disk at the back of the ship generates a field around the ship that allows us to enter this jet stream and stay there. Problem is it is disrupted by high gravity. So we have to get far enough away from a sun to activate it.

And in reverse to get where we want to go." Kate explains simply.

"So how long?" Rick asks again.

"One week out of the system. One month to travel what took me one year and then one week into the target system." Kate tells them.

"Six weeks give or take. Sounds better that one year or more." Rick likes this trip already.

"It also means at first our supplies from Tellus will arrive monthly. At least until more ships can be built. Ones suited for big heavy cargo." Kate liked that idea even better.

Rick took Kate in his arms and held her tight. "We're having a baby!"

Kate melted into him, truly convinced that Rick really did love her. Then a thought occurred to her.

"We might be the first couple to get married on this planet." Kate is thinking about the wedding in Jamaica she was going to miss out on. And she thought it was a lovely place to get married.

Rick just chuckles and Kate can feel him shake in her arms. Which brings a smile to her face.

One week later they are all resting in their beds.

"This is the bridge all personnel prepare for transition."

"Any idea what that was?" Rick asks.

"I have no idea. This is a first for me too." Kate responds.

A few moments later everyone feels like they are sliding down the beds they are lying in until their feet hit the far end.

There were meetings with the leads of the colony survey team every two days to go over who was to do what. Where they went and what to do. Take samples for analysis. Some would verify site locations for buildings based on the terrain.

Included were security protocols that required Kate to attend her own meetings with detective Cain.

Alexis was initially included in all this to comply with Turner and the Roy's orders. However all of them soon turned to Alexis when it came to questions on how to handle the possible plant life.

Alexis was clearly better than anyone else on board. Kate and Rick took turns going with her to these meetings. Martha only went on occasion.

They were all in their room just waking up. "This is the bridge all personnel prepare for transition to normal space."

A few moments later they all found themselves with their heads shoved up against the wall.

One week later Alexis, Turner and Kate found themselves on the bridge.

"It seems we came for nothing. Our scans show that the third and fourth planets are lifeless rocks." Captain Montgomery informs them.

"Can you show us Captain?" Turner asks.

"Put the system on the main screen." Roy orders.

"We were sure there would be something here. Those two planets are almost perfectly placed and this systems sun is perfect." Turner is deflated.

Kate was more than deflated. This meant an operation for her and Rick was in their future.

"Can you scan this area here?"Alexis points to a huge gas giant.

"That is a gas giant miss Alexis, we can't live there." Turner tells her thinking he might have been wrong about her.

"I know, but in Star Wars the Ewoks live on a moon that orbits a huge gas giant. Even home has a moon that might support life millions of year from now." Alexis turns to tell him.

"Scan that gas giant." Roy orders.

"Scanning. …. There is a small moon weighs approx. 0.3453 that of Tellus that appears to have a stable atmosphere."

"Take us there and put us in orbit and prepare the probe." Roy orders.

A few minutes later. "High orbit achieved and the probe is ready."

"Launch the probe. Let's see what we've got."

One hour later. "What have we got?" Roy asks.

"Gravity is .91 of Tellus."

"Ok so we will weigh less. I kinda like the sound of that." Roy comments. Getting Kate to grin.

"Approx. 60% of the moon is water. …. The oxygen content is approx. 2.2% above Tellus."

"Launch your team Mr. Turner. And miss Alexis, nice work." Roy was happy.


	50. Chapter 50

**CH50**

The Sun Rises had been in orbit for almost a week now and Alexis, Kate, Turner and others were now in the recreation room (largest open room for them to spread out in on the ship), looking over photos of the scans that had been made.

"We need to pick a site to land at and set up camp for our future first city." Turner tells them all.

"This spot here looks to be the best location." Someone suggests. "It's a lot like Tellus and we know what to do there."

"Obviously if we go too far north or south it will be colder. We need to stick to the equator, say along this area here somewhere." Suggests another.

Everyone is silent for a few minutes. "What pumpkin?" Kate asks Alexis. Kate has seen the look on her face and knows she has something. "It's ok sweetie you can tell us." Kate tries to get her to say what is on her mind.

"Tellus is mostly desert with little food; it's why we are here. Not a good place to be growing food. And if the winters are harsh we could all starve, and it looks like we are into summer already. See how everything is all green. Full green, not early green.

We are going to need to plant crops now if we want a fall or early winter harvest. Or a very large amount of greenhouses. And we will need some of those anyway.

I like this spot." And Alexis points getting everyone to look.

"Tell us why pumpkin, it's ok." Kate urges her to continue. Kate knew if she was older Alexis wouldn't be this shy so Kate needs to coach her to talk.

"Well, … This mountain range here will keep the moisture trapped on this side. That's why the other side looks less green. Not desert, just not as green. … This river here probably has a lot of little streams connected to it and this river ends in this really big delta here.

Mountains means snow which will melt keeping the streams and river from drying up. This big valley here could be used to grow crops. …We could go up river and cut down trees and float them down the river and cut them up for what little we might need them for.

It's close enough to the ocean we could go fishing to supplement our food source, and the river probably has fish in it. And these woods here probably have wildlife in it for us to hunt and set traps." Alexis stops talking and shrinks waiting for her idea to get shot down.

"Like the summer home, only bigger?" Kate thinks she gets why Alexis likes it. Getting Alexis to nod her head. "What about winter pumpkin?"

Alexis shakes her head. "Too far south for a hard winter, except in the mountain range. And we could build a tunnel thru the mountains for a train to get to the other side out into this area …. Someday."

"Comments?" Turner asks.

"The delta will be too soft to build on, how do we reach the ocean for these, …. Fish?"

"Boats, down the river and out into the ocean and back again. Solar powered or with sails, or both." Alexis answers.

"We don't have boats of that size. No data or knowledge on how to build them."

"I do." Alexis answers.

"Pumpkin?" Kate didn't want her to think she had to solve every problem. Not that Kate thought Alexis would lie.

"It's all on my flash drive you gave me mom." Alexis answers.

Kate kneels down and wraps Alexis in her arms. "Oh pumpkin, I knew you were a genius. I just never, …." Kate trails off, and then kisses Alexis for good measure.

"I guess that answers where we are going to land. Let's get the shuttles packed and pack our gear. We should be able to get our feet wet in a couple of days." Turner dismisses them all.

"I should be going with you." Rick didn't like being left behind like this.

"I'll be fine dad. I've got mom and Detective Cain is also armed." Alexis points out.

"I know but I'd feel better if I was there with you." Rick isn't whining, but it's getting close.

"We'll be fine Rick. Besides if you go that's one more person I have to keep my eyes on." Kate steps and gives him a quick kiss.

"Doesn't mean I have to like it." Rick relents, like he really had a choice.

"We'll be back before it gets dark." Kate and Alexis step into the air lock.

There are two shuttles on board and both are being used to transport people and supplies.

One lands closer to the delta with Cain for security and the other lands closer to the tree line with Kate for security.

"Remember, no one goes anywhere alone, for any reason. Period." Kate reminds them.

"Come on pumpkin let's see what we can find." And Kate and Alexis head for the river's edge first.

It turned out to be a pretty good sized river. It wasn't the Mississippi, but still it was big and looked deep.

"Mom all of this looks familiar somehow." Alexis is looking around.

"Those trees look like White Fir trees." Alexis points into the deeper section of the forest. "And those look like Elm and Birch trees." Alexis turns to look elsewhere.

Alexis tries to look far up into the mountains. "Those way up there look like Lodge Pole Pines and Ponderosa Pines."

Alexis turns to look down into the Delta area where the other shuttle landed. "And those down there look like Orange or Peach trees." Alexis walks away from the river and out into the valley like area between the trees and the coast line.

"Mom, these are Lilac. Those look like Godecia. That way over there looks like Black-Eyed Susan." Alexis was confused.

"Mom, I don't understand. These are all plants from Earth, but we're not on Earth. Are we?" Alexis turns to look at Kate.

"No pumpkin we're not. You saw the gas giant before we landed just as clear as I did. …. Are you sure sweetie?" Maybe it was a distant cousin or something.

"No, it's Lilac." Alexis is convinced and picks some of it and smells it. "Here, smell." Alexis offers it to Kate.

"I'll have to take your word for it pumpkin." Kate didn't know what Lilac smelled like.

Suddenly a group of birds came bursting out of the trees and swooped out into the valley and then back into the trees, only somewhere else.

Kate had her hand with her weapon up, active and pointed that way in a heartbeat. Nothing was going to hurt Alexis if she could prevent it.

"Something spooked them mom." Alexis warns her.

Kate scans the tree line with her eyes. Kate takes the binoculars out of her case at her waist and hands them to Alexis. "Tell me what you see."

Alexis takes them and starts looking, fiddling with the zoom. "I don't see, … wait got something. It's moving slow like it's hunting something close by in the woods. It looks like a really big cat. Female lion maybe? …. But in the woods?" Lions were not in woods. They used tall grasses to blend in with.

"NO, CAN'T BE?" Alexis sounds shocked. Alexis keeps watching.

"Can't be what pumpkin?" Kate wanted her to keep talking.

"Gimme a minute, I want it to turn a little." Alexis tells Kate. "Come on, turn your head, just a little. … Please? Mom won't shoot you." Alexis talks to herself or the cat as if that would help.

Actually Kate hoped she didn't have to shoot it, but if it went after Alexis, whatever it is, Kate was definitely going to shoot it.

"Just turn your head a little." Alexis watched it stalk something. "Make a noise mom. Growl at it or something." Alexis asked hoping that would get it to turn its head their way.

So Kate let out a loud growl.

Alexis saw it jerk its head their way. "YES. …. Wow, would you look at the size of those teeth!" They were smaller than the pictures she remembers, but still pretty big.

Then Alexis caught sight of something bounding away. "Was that a deer of some kind?" Alexis comments.

Kate saw the movement of the deer running away but still didn't see this cat Alexis was talking about. And she didn't like how Alexis was impressed with the size of its teeth.

Then suddenly Kate did see something big run after the deer.

"WOW, look at it move!" Alexis was impressed. Problem was so was Kate, just for a different reason.

It was gone in a flash. "What was it pumpkin?" It sounded like Alexis knew what it was.

Alexis lowered the binoculars. "I've only seen pictures and they've been extinct for years, but it looked like a Saber-Tooth Tiger!" Alexis tells Kate sounding impressed.

The most obscure member of the Smilodon family was the small (only 150 pounds or so) _Smilodon gracilis_; the North American _Smilodon fatalis_ was slightly bigger, and the South American _Smilodon populator_ was the most imposing Saber-Tooth of them all, males weighing as much as half a ton.

(Kate and the team find out later from Lucy) And based on Alexis's and Kate's sighting it was the Smilodon gracilis or about 150 pounds worth of cat.

"Well it's gone now. Come on pumpkin we still have work to do." And Kate takes her binoculars back and scans the area to check on the others.

Each team met at their respective shuttles to discuss where to go next, while they ate their lunch. They still had a lot of space to cover in just this area.

Alexis wanted to look for a stream in the woods that emptied into the river. Then later they could trek upstream to check its source. And get samples for testing to see if it was safe enough to drink as is or did they need filters? This would tell them where they could put the main storage tank everyone would get their water from.

Alexis and the team found signs of native (?) wild life all over. It took a few days but they finally settled on where to build their first building.

It was going to be a lodge like structure with communal sleeping out in the open with no individual room. It was going to be pretty big and round. There would be two main ways in with little storage rooms all around the outside wall with access only from inside.

A sunken area right in the middle, also round, was going to be a big fire pit. They would get their warmth in winter from this and it was also going to be the cooking area.

The smoke would go out a cupola at the top that would prevent rain from getting in and allow the smoke from the fire to get out.

Since no one wanted a dirt floor it meant they would need a crawl space to elevate the floor off of the ground and a solid footing to put the support beams on.

They would place windows with wood shutters in-between the storage rooms to let light in.

It would be a lot of work, however Roy had ordered the entire ship's crew to take turns in construction, including himself. Besides he wanted to see this planet for himself.

They did their best to only cut trees down further up river and float them down to the site where they started putting them to use. The laser made it easy to cut boards out of them for the floor, the roof and some of the walls as well as the interior walls of the storage rooms.

The outer walls were made out of solid logs. "Just like the log homes on Earth." Rick had mentioned.

However Rick's primary task had been going out hunting with either Kate or Cain. Mostly Kate. To not hunt the area they were building in they used one of the shuttles when it wasn't being used to ferry people or supplies to and from the ship.

Rick also became the lead cook since he had the only practical experience.

Alexis and a few others would go with them but not go far. All they did was search the local area where Rick and Kate did their hunting for fruits, vegetables and nuts. They were soon filling their storage rooms with the non-perishable things they found.

It struck Alexis, Rick and Kate as odd that everything was an Earth plant. Even the animals they were hunting were Earth like.

Rick still didn't understand how a Saber-Tooth could still be alive after all this time. They were extinct.

Rick had high hopes for seeing real dinosaurs, but he never did. Saber-Tooth but no dinosaurs? Weird.

Alexis now had a large selection of plants to work with from a few areas of the planet/moon and her and a few others and started a very large garden not far from the lodge.

What Alexis was really craving was a greenhouse. She wanted it to get started so she could expand what they were planting and eating.

Everyone on ship had to watch Alexis, Rick, Kate and or Martha eat it first before they would touch it. Everything was different from what they knew. Watching Rick butcher what he and Kate came back with wasn't easy for a lot of them.

Sure they had food on Tellus, it's just that like people on Earth who ate it from a package had never seen it done this way. Kate had only just killed it moments ago and while Rick butchered it for the meat, there was blood and guts everywhere.

What Rick didn't use, which wasn't much, he took out into the forest and left it for the scavengers. Always going back to the same spot over and over. And each time he went what he left would be gone, every little piece.

It took them three months to build their lodge. They learned fast that building a round building with logs was difficult, very difficult. So only the first 6 feet or so was built using logs, after that they switched to using cut wood except for the supports. It had a large open beam ceiling.

While the roof was being built the rest of them switched to building the water tanks. These were built around the sides of the lodge allowing rain water to run off the roof and into the tanks. Sealing the tanks took some ingenuity and in this case it came from Lucy.

It hadn't rained much the first two months. However the third month just as they were finishing the roof felt more like a monsoon season. It rained for days on end. When it did stop it gave them a chance to find and fix the numerous roof leaks.

Of course the first thing that got built was the first outhouse. They dug a trench, Rick dubbed it the slip trench, since if you were part of the digging team, you slipped and fell in numerous times. Then the building was built with cheap doors and they used cloth to allow privacy between the seats.

There was only the one outhouse but plans were for there to be another one a little on the other side of the building. You would go out the back door and either turned right or turn left to get to one of them. At the moment you were going to get wet if it was raining, but they had plans for that too.

Alexis had literally staked out a spot for a green house or houses. Her idea was to build the first one then keep adding on till she had one very long greenhouse with doors that separated each section from the other. Then build another just like it next to it.

At the end of three months Kate's pregnancy was showing and she was slowing down and taking more naps and getting up later. Alexis had made it her mission to make sure Kate was comfortable and well fed.

Kate still went hunting with Rick but that was slowly be cut down and would end totally soon. Also the Sun Rises would be leaving soon. They had a lot of dry storage space but what they didn't have was freezer space or anything like it. And without Kate and her weapon Rick had resorted to more primitive measures. The bow and arrow.

Alexis had found him a Bay California type Laurel locally for him to use. Then on one of their trips to other areas to hunt for game Rick and Kate came back with apples. The next time they came back from there Alexis asked Kate to cut one down using her weapon and bring it back for Rick to make another bow out of the wood. So now he had two bows.

Captain Montgomery was standing near the fire pit with everyone that was staying gathered round.

"You have a nice sound structure that should last you for years to come. I'm taking one of the shuttles up to the Sun Rises and going back to Tellus. It'll take about one month. The idea behind this project is to restock the Sun Rises and come back with a load of supplies.

Solar panels for power, wind turbines for still more power, glass and structure for the greenhouses, and the basics for you to create your first food freezer, along with a multitude of other things. I anticipate that this will take about one month. With another month to travel back here.

After that by the time the Sun Rises is back at Tellus the next ship will already be on its way or just leaving. Supplies in should be monthly after this three month wait.

I know each of you volunteered for this and these first three months with no support is going to be the hardest time for you. We need for this colony to succeed so my ship will be back here in three months.

Detective Beckett you be careful. That will be the very first baby born on this planet and I'm kinda looking forward to being the first ship captain to ever perform a marriage. So if you go and get yourself killed I'll be very, very mad." Roy however was smiling when he said it.

"Yes sir, … I mean no sir." Kate blushes a little.

"The fuel on the shuttle we are leaving behind is limited so be careful with its use. And little miss Alexis, the information you shared with us from Earth is going to get put to good use back on Tellus. My personal thanks, and make sure these people get fed." Roy tells Alexis.

Alexis blushes. "Thanks, I'll do my best."


	51. Chapter 51

**CH51**

"Rick where are we going?" Kate wanted to know.

"If a Saber-Tooth Tiger thinks there is something to hunt around here then it must be something for us. I want to save the shuttle fuel for as long as possible. It's already fall. The leaves on the trees are falling so it's going to get cold soon.

When that happens animals will likely start to migrate to other areas, either to breed or eat. That means if we want to hunt we have to go to them." Rick tells her.

"And that means we have to fly." Kate gets it. "Then let's hunt babe since this might be my last one for a while." Kate tells him being four months pregnant.

It took them four hours but Kate shot a deer and they were hauling it back to the lodge.

When they got back they found a lot of people were at the river taking logs out of it and taking them over to their make shift lumber mill. These logs were being cut into still more boards to build something with later, and others were getting chopped for fire wood.

They all knew a better heating system would come from Tellus when the Sun Rises returned, but for now, they had to heat and cook the old fashioned way.

Rick and Kate saw Alexis out in her garden along with a couple of volunteers. It looked like they were pulling weeds. Alexis spotted them caring in their latest kill when she ran for them.

"Guess what we found out that way?" And Alexis points out further into the valley. "Grape vines." Alexis was excited. "They are kind of droopy since they don't have a proper fence to spread out on like back home, but with a little work, we could have a valley filled with grapes." Alexis was still excited.

"You mean grapes like in wine making grapes?" Alexis had Ricks interest.

"Yup, we just need to build them a fence to grow on and barrels to put it in. And I'm betting I know where we can get the wood for the type of barrels we need." If it was like back on Earth.

"Oak trees." Rick remembers. "You know what kind of grapes are out there?" What kind of wine were they able to make?

"Sorry dad, wine making is something I don't know much about." Alexis knew a lot about plants, just now how to use grapes.

"That's ok pumpkin, we'll figure it out. We just need the equipment, sugar and yeast. And make sure everything is sterilized each time we make a batch." Rick is sure the problem can be solved.

Rick went to work butchering what they had brought back. Without traps to set, real ones not ones he dreamed up on the spot, they were all going to have to settle for big game.

The meat would last 2 to 3 days for a group this big, then Rick and someone else would have to go hunting again. Rick had put his foot down about Kate going out hunting again.

Kate of course had complained. "I' pregnant Rick not helpless."

Rick however had noticed that the trip back had looked hard for her. Kate may be in great shape but being pregnant was taking some of her energy out of her. Rick was going to end up with Turner next time he went out.

Rick went to dispose of his kill that he didn't want to use and the parts no one wanted to eat. When he got there he found a very young baby Saber- Tooth tiger cub sitting in his spot waiting for him.

Rick tossed what he had brought with him at its feet and it immediately started eating it. "Damn you're cute! Even the babies have big teeth." Rick started looking around. "Where's your mommy little one. I don't really want to be her next meal." Rick starts backing up.

"You stay right there Tigger (Rick had decided on a name for him/her) and I'll be back in a couple of days with some more." And Rick kept looking for mommy until he cleared the trees. Then he walked with purpose back to the main door to their lodge. He wanted to check on Kate since Alexis and a couple of others were out at the garden.

They were going to get carrots, beets, cabbage, celery, cranberries, eggplant, onions and potatoes. None of them were ready yet, however Alexis had been working very hard to grow as much of it as she could. When the time came likely everyone who could stand would be out in the garden harvesting.

They still had a lot of apples and cherries from when Rick and Kate had gone further north the two or three times to hunt while the Sun Rises was still in orbit. The two people that had volunteered to go with them had picked and packed as much as they could.

Rick had stepped into the lodge and headed for the campfire in the middle to prep for cooking.

"RICK!" Kate yelled out.

Rick turned and looked at Kate who was standing with her weapon pointed at the door. Looking at where Kate was pointing, getting ready to shoot, Rick saw his baby cat slowly enter thru the open door.

"NO KATE! It's ok, he's just a baby." Rick quickly put down everything of his kill he had brought inside except for one piece. "Hi Tigger, you still hungry?" Rick tried cooing at him while approaching slowly.

Then someone from outside started to enter and stopped dead in her tracks. "It's alright, he's not going to hurt anyone. Are you Tigger?" Rick went back to cooing at him, still slowing approaching.

Rick got in close and left his food offering on the floor a couple of feet away.

Tigger moved in slowly and smelled it, then laid down on the floor and started do his best to chew on it.

"That's a good kitty, you're still hungry aren't you?" Rick kept his distance but kept cooing at him. "Kate you want to put some fresh water in a bowl?"

Kate wasn't so sure about this but found one of Rick's bowls near the fire and filled it with some rain water and took it to Rick.

"You sure this is a good idea? It has a mother who is going to rip us to shreds when she finds us and her, baby." Kate didn't like this idea much.

"It's a cub and I don't think it has a mother anymore. It was waiting for me where I drop off the part of our kill that we don't use. He must have eaten all of it and followed me home looking for more."

Alexis chose this moment to enter the lodge. "Wooo, what is that dad?" Alexis easily spotted the cub lying just inside the door.

"His name is Tigger." Rick tells her smiling.

"Rick!? You named it?" Kate knew if you named something it usually ended up staying and a Saber-Tooth Tiger was definitely not staying.

"Wow he's cute dad." As Alexis steps up him.

"Alexis! No!" Kate whispers, afraid a sudden noise would upset it and attack Alexis.

"It's ok mom, it's just a baby and he's hungry." Alexis moves over and picks up the bowl of water she sees and moves it in closer. Then sits down next to it. Dips her hand into the water and lets the drops hit its nose.

The cub blinks at the water assault but keeps on chewing. Then Alexis starts petting it.

"Alexis?" Kate hates this idea.

"It's just a baby mom. … Can we keep him?" Alexis asks hopeful and does her best to use a puppy dog eyes look.

Kate however is not moved. "Absolutely NOT."

"Aawww mom, he's just a baby." Alexis pleads her case once more.

"Yea, a baby that will grow up into a 150 pound man eating machine." Kate tried pleading her case.

"And he'll grow up with all of us all around him all the time. He'll grow up t love us. And we can feed him." Rick pleads his daughter's case.

"Seriously Rick? You want our daughter next to something that has teeth that big and weighs more than she does, can run faster than any of us, plus jump over anything in its way?" Kate tries again.

"Please mom?" Alexis tries the puppy dog look one last time.

Kate looks at these two idiots. "Ok fine. But if it so much as scratches Alexis or my baby, it's gone. Understood!?" Kate still thinks they are nuts. And her too for letting them talk her into it. "And it sleeps outside. End of discussion." Kate waves her hand like a karate chop.

"Thanks mom." Alexis smiles and keeps petting Tigger.

"And when it's done eating take it outside. I don't want to see it in here again. Clear?" Kate directs it at both Rick and Alexis. Since she's not sure which one is the adult.

Alexis got it to follow her back outside using the water bowl and Kate went back to her nap. After she was so rudely interrupted.

Kate was back up in time to eat dinner with the others. Where Rick and Alexis got to explain to everyone else why there was a baby Saber-Tooth Tiger sleeping outside the front door.

After dinner Alexis went outside to sit with Tigger and feed him some of her food that she had saved for him. Others dropped off little tidbits as the exited the lodge. Getting a "Thank you!" from Alexis.

Alexis took some of her clothes and made a bed for Tigger to sleep on before she went inside and they closed and barred the doors closed for the night.

Come morning Alexis was the first one out the door carrying a little something for Tigger for breakfast. Then she went out to work in her garden. The only showers were cold water showers at one of the water storage tanks, outside. They had built a kind of privacy fence around it.

However fresh water was still scarce so bathing was only twice a week mostly. Laundry was once a week the really old fashioned way.

Tigger had followed Alexis out into the garden where he was only too willing to help her dig. Just not where Alexis wanted him to. So he got bored and went off to find what else he could get into.

"**ALEXIS!"** Tigger had found one of the women in one of the showers.

Still Tigger was fed scraps after lunch left by a few people including Alexis and Rick.

Kate knew that they locked up the lodge at night for security reasons so right after dinner and Rick hand finished cleaning is kitchen tools, bowls, plates and misc. items, with Kate's unexpected help.

"Rick, …. I want you! Please? We need to find someplace private. I want you to make love to me or I'm going to go mad. And I'm going to take you with me." Kate had snuggled in close and reached her hand down the front of his pants to enforce her point.

Kate instantly had Rick's undivided attention. "We can try going where all the others are going. If there isn't someone else already there." Rick offered.

Kate was momentarily shocked. There were others in the group having sex? Not quite sure why she was surprised. "Where?"

"The shuttle." Rick tells her.

Not sure why she didn't think of that. Kate took Rick's hand and started dragging him to the shuttle. They had to pass Alexis along the way. "Hi mom, Hi dad."

However Kate was on a mission and didn't answer back. Rick had tried to respond but the pull from Kate got him walking or stumbling behind Kate again.

The shuttle was empty and Kate instantly started stripping Rick of his clothes. Trying to remove hers at the same time.

Kate was already too big for Rick to be on top comfortably. If you can call the shuttle floor comfortable. So they had to resort to other positions. Not that Kate cared. She wanted skin and she wanted Rick inside her no matter how he got there.

Several screams later and Kate was lying next to Rick. Too big to be on him like she usually was. Kate was unable to listen to his heart beat and she was missing hearing that.

"Rick, thank you." Kate started blinking back tears.

"For making love to you? I'm not sure if you noticed, but I enjoy making love to you." Rick isn't sure that's what she means, but he had to start somewhere.

"No, for being here with me. You didn't have to. I would have had the operation." Kate knew it would occur. She had grown up knowing it was a possibility.

"Kate, there was no way in hell I was going to let them do that to you. Just because I got you pregnant. It's my baby too." To Rick it was a no brainer.

"It would have been fine Rick. We would have had our one child and we would have had two children. There are only a handful of people on Tellus that have two children. It would have been enough. I didn't mind." Kate wants him to not think he had to do this.

Rick lifts up and turns on his side propping his hand under his head with his elbow of the shuttle floor. While his other hand starts doodling across Kate's enlarging breasts.

"Kate I'm more than happy to be here. This is a fresh start for all of us. The very first people on this planet. We're going to end up in the history books. And we get to solve your planets food production problem. This is beyond great. This is monumental.

And I get to do it with you, Alexis and my mother. …. Who is having a blast by the way telling stories to the other people. I'll bet she'll be even happier when there are children to tell them to." Rick knew he was hppy. Martha and Alexis were in their element.

Ricks fingers were getting to Kate and if he didn't stop soon she was just going to have to do something about it.

Kate quickly found tears running down her face. "What's with the tears?" Rick didn't see the point of them.

"I'm just happy. I've got the man of my dreams, Alexis and I'm pregnant. …. Stupid hormones." Kate wipes away some of the tears.

Rick chuckles. Kate was happy now. Tomorrow something would happen and she would be mad at him. All for the very same reason.

Rick leaned in and kissed her and tweaked the nipple he was closest too getting a moan from Kate into his mouth and soon it was time for round three.

Rick went into the lodge to determine what to do for breakfast in the morning while Kate went over to see Alexis who was lounging in their area of the lodge.

"Hi mom. Feeling better?" Alexis was guessing what they had been doing for the last hour and a half.

Kate however already knew that Alexis knew her and her father made love to each other. Obviously since she was pregant. "Yes pumpkin, much better." Kate hugs Alexis as best she can and kisses the side of her head.

"I love him Alexis. I don't know what my life would be like without him. … Or you. I don't think I've told you how thankful I am that you two chose to move here. It means a lot." Kate's tears were starting again. Stupid hormones.

"Mom, I'll let you in on a little secret. I've been praying for you to come into our lives for a while before you crashed at our lake. …. Dad needed someone. I know he has me and he loves me, but he needed you. …. I needed you." Alexis was adding her own tears.

Kate took Alexis in her arms. "Oh pumpkin. …. I love you too, so very much. …. You're sure your not going to miss anyone back on Earth?" Kate still worried that she had done this for her because she was pregnant.

Alexis shakes her head. "I'll miss Paige mostly and maybe a couple of other people. But I have you and dad. It's all I need."

"You won't miss your mother?" Kate decided to make sure.

"You're my mother. She probably doesn't even know I'm gone. … Or care." Alexis adds more tears onto Kate.

"You're going to make a terrific big sister to all of them." Kate tells Alexis crying more tears.

"THEM?" Alexis pulls back from the hug and wipes her tears. "I thought you were having just one."

Kate opens her mouth no knowing she had said so much. Stupid hormones.

"I'll let you in on my little secret. … I saw your father in my dreams before I even crashed here. Then I saw all of us at the fire station before we even got there. Then I saw us living with a really, really, big family. All together, which I think is where we are now.

Since we've been here my dreams are filled with you, your father and our children. This one and others. And we are all in a house like the summer house, except the bedrooms are really small. Barely enough to sleep in. The main house is huge and you and the children are all running around in it.

I see you everywhere pumpkin. You are doing so much. The best biggest sister anyone could ever ask for." Kate confides to Alexis. Something she hasn't even told Rick yet.

"You see having more children than just this one?" Alexis asks. Getting a nod from Kate.

Alexis almost starts hyperventilating. "You mean we're going to have a big family?" Alexis couldn't believe it.

Kate just nods her head.

"I've prayed for a large family since I was five. Alone with my dad was ok, but I secretly wanted a big family. You think you're going to make me part of a big family?" Alexis was having trouble breathing.

It was enough that Kate was now worried about her. "Are you ok pumpkin? I'll go get the doctor." And Kate starts to leave.

Alexis grabs Kate. "No mom, I'm ok. I just never thought, …. It was just a dream. That's all. I've never had my dreams come true like this before you."

This is where Rick shows up and sees the two of them hugging each other with loads of tears.

"Everything ok?" Rick didn't know where all of this crying was coming from. Kate's hormones he could understand, but Alexis?

"We're fine babe. Maybe better than fine." Kate tells him getting a nod from Alexis.


	52. Chapter 52

**CH52**

It was now one month later:

Everyone had pitched in to harvest Alexis's garden. They had quickly filled all of the storage rooms around the outer wall of the lodge.

Kate had gotten bigger and even more horny then she had ever been before. Rick was being kept really busy. He fast found out that hunting with just a bow and arrow without Kate's weapon was a lot harder to do then he had expected.

He was still doing all the cooking and when he wasn't doing either of those he was in the shuttle with Kate making love to her. He was keeping up with her but it was tiring. Kate's hormones had really gotten the better of her.

As expected she was happy and horny one day and pissed and crying the next. However Rick never left her side, happy or sad or anywhere in between.

The Sun Rises was due any day now. Using an Earth calendar, it was early November now and it was getting cooler. Not cold this far south, just cooler. It was actually pretty nice most of the time.

Alexis was out in her garden planting for the next harvest praying the winter wasn't too hard and kill it all off.

She heard something that sounded like the shuttle returning. Alexis knew her dad and Turner had gone north along with two other people to do some hunting while the other two would pick apples and cherries.

However when she looked up she saw two shuttles making a descent down to into their valley.

Alexis jumped up and ran for the lodge. "MOM, MOM, I think the Sun Rises is here." Alexis yells into the space as soon as she clears the door.

That got Kate and everyone else up and outside just in time to see two shuttles land a little ways out. Missing Alexis's garden by mere feet.

Everyone but Kate and Alexis ran down to meet them. Kate was forced to walk with Alexis at her side.

By the time Kate and Alexis made it Captain Montgomery and others were surrounded.

"Detective Beckett, it's good to see you. I see you've gotten bigger." Kate wasn't showing much the last time he was here.

"Bigger? I'm huge sir. My feet hurt, my back hurts, I'm tired all the time and I eat constantly. I'm never going to take all this weight off." Kate's hormones had her moaning about all her problems.

"Two more months detective, just two more months." Roy tries to make her feel better. It didn't work. "Where's Castle?"

"Rick, Turner, Pfaff and Murphy are up north with the shuttle hunting and picking fruit that grows better up there. We try not to over hunt any one area.." Kate explains.

"Sound like a, …." Roy and the others suddenly jump back. "What is that?"

Kate looks where he was looking and spots a now much bigger Tigger standing next to Alexis letting Alexis scratch the side of his face.

"That is Tigger. According to Rick and Alexis he is an extinct animal from Earth called a Saber-Tooth Tiger. Rick found him when he was a baby and it followed him home. Alexis has been feeding him ever since. She is also the only one he lets pet him. Although I think Rick gets one in now and again." Kate explains.

"We have a lot to tell you sir, a whole lot." Even Kate was still amazed how similar this planet was to Earth.

"Well I've got a lot of items to drop off for you. Plus these two shuttles. I'm taking the other one back with me when we leave. These two are made just for you." Roy tells them.

"They don't look very different." Kate looks them over.

"Mostly there isn't much difference, however these two can do this." And Roy pushes a button sequence and the back end opens down with a ramp in the back.

Everyone in eye shot looks inside. "QUADS!" Alexis yells out.

"We put what you gave us to good use Miss Alexis. We thought you could use these. These however are different than the ones you gave us information on. These are powered by hydrogen instead of whatever gasoline is.

Those engines were just way too dirty. I think you'll find these are a lot quieter too. And we have six of them for you on this trip. These are the first two." Roy tells her. "We have a lot of items to bring down."

They were unloading one of the many trips when Rick and the others showed up. Rick had returned with an Elk with huge antlers on its head. The meat would last for days for something this big.

The others also had several bushels of apples and cherries.

"Castle, I see you have gotten good at this." Roy was happy the colony had him.

"It's a little harder with just a bow and arrow. Kate can manage to shoot from a greater distance." Rick informs him.

"Well I can't help you there, but I do have a number of traps like you described." Roy tells him.

"Excellent! Hunting for big game is hard and tiring. If we can supplement it with something smaller it will make things easier." Rick explains.

It took a few weeks to unload everything off of the Sun Rises.

6 – Quads and one hydrogen maker filler station.

Parts and glass panels to put together two good sized greenhouses.

Roughly 60 pots for plants and almost as many trays to start seeds from.

Parts for two windmills along with 30 batteries.

22 – solar power panels.

6 – solar hot water panels with two storage tanks for the system.

Panels and the parts necessary to construct two walk-in cooler/freezers.

4 – large boxes of Tupperware like storage containers.

A large amount of medical supplies. Pain medication, surgical kits, anti-biotics, along with several First Responder like kits.

2 – kilns to make clay items.

The ability to make glass items for personal use as well as the ability to make glass windows. (They could replace the shutters on the lodge with double pane windows eventually).

4 – lasers to use for cutting (chainsaws)

Piping for hundreds of feet along with a pump powered by the flow of the water. (They can route water from the stream to the lodge. Just like the summer home)

12 – Barrels of spray foam as well as a sprayer.

4 – cases of 24 each of spray foam to seal the windows and other things.

Seals for the main and back doors of the lodge to keep winter winds from getting in under the doors.

Crate after crate of winter clothes, coats and boots.

Enough soap, shampoo, toilet paper and feminine products to start your own hotel.

Septic tank and piping for a drain field along with the necessary pumps.

"It'll be good to have my ship back. We have items strapped down in the flight bay. We can barely land the shuttles on board. The recreation room is half filled with still more items. We came back with less crew so we could use crew rooms to store some of it." Roy listed off what it took to get all this stuff back here.

Not that he was really complaining, since he was smiling the whole time.

"Me and my crew will be here for a week to help you build what you want to do first. Then we will be heading back for Tellus. On the day we leave it would be an honor to perform the first marriage ceremony if you two are ready. …. No pressure." Roy was smiling. He wanted to be part of a first so bad.

"On a side note, the next ship will be bringing very few supplies except for what you put on a list before I leave. It will be bringing Satellites to be placed in orbit.

GPS Satellite Constellation: The baseline satellite constellation consists of **24** satellites positioned in six planet-centered orbital planes with four operation satellites and a spare satellite slot in each orbital plane. The system can support a constellation of up to thirty satellites in orbit.

They will also double as weather satellites so you can track planet wide weather systems. It will also allow you to view the Mineral Exploration and Mining.

Satellite Imagery and aerial photography has proven to be an important tool in assessing mineral exploration tenements, it provides the geologists and field crew location of tracks, roads, fences, habitation, as well as ability to map out crops and regolith systematics and vegetation cover across an area or region." Roy tells them what is coming next. "And they are also communication satellites, so you will be able to talk to anyone from anywhere on the planet." Roy adds.

"Which reminds me, we also brought you a server system that took up one entire crew room. Once you have the solar power panels up you can have Lucy back on-line." Roy adds. Getting Kate to thank him over and over.

Two days after the Sun Rises had started to unload all its supplies, Roy was outside with Alexis and others putting the greenhouses together, while another team was putting solar panels, power and hot water, up on the lodge roof. People wanted hot showers for a change.

Rick rang the lunch is ready bell. "Castle if you people are eating like this all the time, you make me want to stay." Roy is laughing knowing he is not staying. But this was real food. Not the baby food on the ship. Which was a selling feature to get the crew to come down and help.

Since they were living on an Earth like planet, eating Earth like food, Kate got her way and they were going to have a mix of mostly Tellus with a touch of Earth tradition to blend the two.

Seems you had to start a long march down city streets singing and celebrating. Since they didn't have any city streets. They started at the lodge and went out into the valley circling around the garden, that was getting enlarged. Over to the river and then back to the lodge.

There were no vows or rings to exchange (Kate already had her ring anyway).

Rick did however have to sing to Kate and Kate had to sing to Rick. Then a unity ceremony took place that Roy presided over.

To better explain our unity ceremony of science: A chemical reaction results in an entirely new compound from two or more separate ones. They are unique on their own, but brought together they form something new.

Rather than flat out calling it the baking-soda vinegar reaction, we'll call it Sodium Bicarbonate and Acetic Acid (for science). When brought together the individual molecules break apart and form three different substances — Carbon Dioxide which form bubbles, which escape from the mixture and go into the air. Sodium acetate which is widely used, but also acts as a buffer in other solutions meaning the remaining solution will not easily become too acidic or too basic. It will remain at a fairly constant pH even when acids or bases are added. The last component it produces is water, the molecule of life. I could prattle on about other cool stuff water does, but it would probably bore everyone.

Regardless of whatever we try to do we can never again separate the baking soda and vinegar because they are no longer in the beaker, they have come together never to be separate again.

"As allowed by the rules and laws of Tellus, that all ship captains are endowed with, I'm pleased to call you, Husband and Wife. As part of Earth ceremony you may kiss the bride."

Rick took Kate in his arms and softly kissed her for an extended period of time.

Kate cried when he offered to marry her and presented the ring. Now she was crying again. Kate was pregnant, she was married and she was now a Castle as part of the Earth based tradition.

As part of Tellus wedding tradition each guest, in this case quite a few, typically provided gifts to the happy couple. However in this case there were no individual gifts to provide.

Captain Montgomery had talked to everyone, including his crew about what to do. Every colonist had signed as well as his entire crew a little something on a tablet. Roy was going to present it to the powers that be back on Tellus when he returned.

Rick and Kate as well as by extension Alexis and their unborn child were given 100 acres of land of their choosing anywhere on the colony planet. And with two shuttles for them to use they were going to be able to use them to personally view each place they liked, and then decide.

They already had on a tablet the entire planet for them to view their initial choices from.

Kate thanks to her hormones immediately began to cry, trying to get "Thank you's" amongst all the tears.

It didn't take Rick and Kate long to select an island they saw in the middle of a sea area that reminded Rick of the Mediterranean back on Earth. The islands shape reminded him of Iwo Jima. It however didn't have a mountain on one end.

The island had mostly a rocky coast except for the natural bay that it had where there was a large sandy beach area. The island was filled with palm trees and vegetation. There was an elevated area area just north of the beach. Far on the north end there was a jagged cut into the island that ended in a lovely sheltered inlet.

Not far away from this was a large cave area just at sea level. There were a number of small rock out cropping's on the east and west side. However it was the beach and the elevated area just north that could easily hold a very large house that caught their eye.

There was plenty of land for a good sized garden along with a number of greenhouses. They could easily build a good size dock on the east side directly across from the house.

The fresh water tower would go there. The septic tank and drain field would go there. Who needed a pool when you had a protected bay with a large beach.

When they flew over they saw wild flowers everywhere.

The island itself was only 87 acres in size. The 100 acres would easily include the rocky out croppings.

It was gorgeous in their eyes.

They eventually showed it to Alexis. She feared that the land would be too rocky for a good garden, however there was plenty of space for greenhouses.

"Does this mean we're going to have a boat?" Alexis was excited.

Before the Sun Rises broke orbit to head home the greenhouses were built. All of the solar power panels were installed. The piping from the stream to the pump and then down to the lodge with a stub out for the barn had been installed.

Also the footings and the floor for the barn to house the Quads and the hot water generating system were down. They just needed the walls, roof, doors and put the solar hot water panels on the roof. The piping from the barn to the showers was already stubbed in. It just needed to be completed.

Kate's feet and back were starting to hurt her but still she went out to help Alexis in the greenhouses. Kate had learned a thing or two helping her earlier and the greenhouses were important to all of them. Winter wasn't expected to be that hard this far south, but they didn't know this planet so it paid to be careful.

"Mom you should go inside and lay down. I'm just doing starter trays. This part is easy." Alexis didn't want Kate working too hard.

"The greenhouses are important pumpkin and I need to feel busy." Kate was tired of lying around and sleeping. Being pregnant was beginning to suck.

"Go have dad massage your feet. That'll make you feel better." Alexis suggests.

Actually Kate liked that idea a lot. So she kissed Alexis and went in search of Rick. She found him helping the others hook up the piping for the hot water system, along with piping for something else it appeared.

Kate walked up and put her arms around him. "Hi husband." Kate purred into his ear.

"Hhmmm, hi wife." Rick leaned back to get her closer.

Kate put her head against his back and breathed him in, which turned out to be a bad idea. Kate came over here to get a foot massage, now she wanted something else.

Kate goosed Rick. "Shuttle babe, now!"

Rick grinned and escorted Kate to the shuttle, where Kate instantly started stripping him of his clothes.

The benefit of having a shuttle was that Kate didn't have to scream into her pillow, she could let go and enjoy all of Rick.

Three screams later she was laying there with her feet in Rick's lap as he sat on the floor. Rick was massaging her swollen feet and Kate was in heaven. The sex had been great and just what she needed but this was heaven.

Rick and Kate were walking back to the lodge for the night when they saw Alexis sitting outside the front door next to Tigger who was getting petted while he chewed on his dinner.

Rick went inside while Kate stopped and plopped down next to Alexis with Tigger on the other side of Alexis.

"Pumpkin Tigger is getting bigger and he's a wild animal. You've been very good to him but he needs to live his own life out in the wild." Kate tries to tell Alexis Tigger needs to go.

"But Mom?" Alexis knew what she meant.

"He needs to live his life sweetie. Find a girl and have kittens like what he was when Rick brought him home." Kate still didn't believe he followed Rick home. She was sure big heart Rick had carried him home and dropped him off just outside the door.

"What if he doesn't leave mom?" Alexis hoped he would stay.

"He'll go sweetie because you and your father are going to stop feeding him." Kate tells her.

"But mom he'll starve!" Alexis played her last card.

"He'll hunt and eat just like he was meant to pumpkin. He'll be fine and you'll have your memories of him. Come on inside for the night sweetie." Kate asks of her.

Alexis pulls herself away and follows Kate inside.

Come morning Tigger was out front expecting his breakfast. Kate knew this was going to be hard on Alexis so she had Rick help her up and followed Alexis outside.

With Kate's eyes on her Alexis didn't stop to feed Tigger or pet him, even though she desperately wanted to.

Tigger hung around the front door too long to follow Alexis inside the greenhouse so he lounged on the front porch area for the next two days.

About the time Rick and the others had the hot water system installed a few days later Tigger was gone.

They were putting the solar hot water panels on the barn/shed roof when Tigger showed up again looking fine. He only stayed a few hours, long enough to get a lot of "Hi Tigger" from a lot of people including Alexis. Then he was gone again. Tigger kept this up for months before he never came back again.

It was originally intended to be a shed to house the Quads in. However it expanded to house the solar hot water system, the control system for the solar power panels and the two wind turbines. Also in the back was a large work bench meant for taking the Quads apart if necessary and then putting it back together.

Also back here was storage for tools and parts not just for the quads. There was also space for future battery installation so they would have backup power. Next to that was space for the server that Lucy would get connected to. There was also space for something that Rick knew was coming but kept his mouth shut.

A surprise wasn't a surprise if everyone knew about it.

Above the Quads was storage for already cut wood for use later. Each of the six Quads were side by side and each had its own set of doors.

They intended to build an addition on the back of the barn to be used to make glass windows in. If the winter wasn't too bad they would build the addition then and start construction of the windows come spring.

With no natural gas, propane or oil they had sent an electric tank type water heater to make hot water with. The problem with this is that it limited the amount of hot water they had to work with on days the solar hot water system couldn't keep up. Eventually it would get changed out for hydrogen.

"MOM, MOM!" Alexis comes flying into the lodge. "There are two shuttles landing!"


	53. Chapter 53

**CH53**

Alexis had to help Kate up so she could walk outside along with everyone else who was excited to have visitors. "Detective Castle, I'm Captain Gregory Zhukov of the Moon Shines. It's a pleasure to meet you." Zhukov offers his hand.

Kate takes it. "It's good to see you Captain." Kate instantly teared up. He was the first person outside of the lodge to call her Castle. Reminding her that she was married and pregnant.

"What's in these two shuttles is all that I'll be bringing down on this trip. Most of it is baby items. We will be spending the next two weeks launching satellites into orbit. Oh we also have a large server in one of the shuttles so you can connect to the existing server space you have now that you can connect Lucy to." Zhukov adds.

"Lucy will love it!" Kate was happy. "Ooooff." Kate grabs her belly.

"Are you alright Detective?" Zhukov was suddenly worried.

"I'm fine, the baby has been kicking a lot lately. I'm guessing he heard about all the items you brought just for him." As Kate rubs her belly trying to get him to calm down.

"So you know it's a boy?" Zhukov asks.

"Actually we don't know. We don't have the equipment to find out the sex, so we are going to be surprised." Kate explains.

"Speaking of we, where is your husband?" Zhukov had never met Rick.

"Rick and Turner are out hunting while two others are gathering bananas that we found earlier. They should be back later." Kate tells him.

"Well let's get the shuttles unloaded and I can get to work getting the satellites into orbit." Zhukov suggests.

Kate was watching as everything came off the shuttles. One-piece outfits, shirts, leggings or pull-on pants, sweaters, jackets, sweatshirts, hats, mittens, socks, booties, shoes, sleepwear, diapers, wipes, changing table, baby carrier, breast feeding accessories, burp cloths, breast pump, bottles, pacifiers, bouncy seat, play mat, toys, crib with mattress, bedding, blankets, baby monitor and baby books for Kate to read.

Kate watched the server cases come out. It was twice as big as the one they had in the city. And these were their technology. Bigger and faster. They also came out with a few monitors for Lucy to put her Avatar up on. Then out came a surprise. "What is that?" Kate didn't recognize it.

"This is a color plotter. Lucy is going to have access to the satellites of course. Using this she can print out what she sees using the satellites if you decide you need a hard copy. We've also brought a few rolls of paper and ink for the plotter." Zhukov explains.

Then out came another surprise.

"What are those?" Kate held her hands over her mouth as tears started.

Two clothes washers and four dryers (they were on Rick's list). "Rick!" And tears came faster.

Kate knew everyone would love to have them. However Kate was sure he asked because he wanted them for the baby. "Rick!" Kate needed to figure out how to thank him.

Zhukov and his flight crew got back on the shuttles and went back to their ship to start the long process of getting the satellites into orbit.

Kate watched them put the servers into place and connect power to them, while trying to watch the washer's and dryer's being installed.

Kate noticed there were already hook ups waiting for them right next to the solar hot water system and electric water heaters. "Rick!" And Kate's tears started again.

Kate promised herself she would find a way to tell him just how much she loved him.

It was going to take a little time to set up the server and the monitors, so Kate went back to their space in the lodge to lie down and take a nap. Kate was looking forward to plugging Lucy back in and see her up on the monitors again.

Rick came home late in the day with a giant huge pig with teeth that reminded everyone of the teeth on Tigger. Except for Alexis no one had ever seen anything like it.

"Nice dad! We can have bacon for breakfast now. Baby back ribs on the grill. Pork chops. Pork shoulder." Alexis was impressed. Something different.

They also came back with a large amount of green bananas. Not that they would stay that way for long.

"I think I also saw sugar cane." Rick tells Alexis, arching his eyebrows a couple of times.

"SUGAR?" Now he really had Alexis's attention. "Oh two shuttles came down early today from a ship called Moon Shines. They brought a lot of baby stuff. A LOT of baby stuff." Alexis spread her arms wide to show it was a lot.

"Oh they also brought a server and some washers and dryers along with some soap." Alexis was grinning wide.

"YES!" Rick had wanted them for a surprise for everyone so badly. "Is Lucy plugged in yet?"

Alexis shakes her head. "They are waiting for mom to wake up from her nap so she can plug Lucy in."

"Moon Shines? …. Did they leave a distillery?" Rick could picture making moonshine putting the sugar cane to good use.

"No dad." Alexis looks at him funny. "With sugar cane we just need yeast and we can make wine." Alexis offers instead.

That would do. Next hunting trip take one of the lasers and cut down a lot of sugar cane so they could get some sugar.

Rick spent the next two hours butchering his catch all the while thinking one of these times he would do a Luau with the pig and other food. He thinks he remembers how it was done.

It was that time of month that Martha did one of her speaks about Earth. This time however was a little different. Martha had everyone sitting around the fire that was in the middle.

"There was a man home alone. His wife and children had decided to visit their grandparents, however he couldn't get time off work. So he was forced to stay home.

One night he was sitting in front of the fireplace, just like we are, reading a book. Then he heard a knock on the door." Martha tells them and there is a knock on the front door.

One of them gets up to check the front door thinking someone was locked out. Finding no one he closes the door and bars it again and sits back down.

"The man stands and goes to the window to look outside to see the clear night with a full moon brilliant in the sky, when he hears a knock at the door." Martha continues her story and there is a knock on the front door.

A different person goes to the front door to open it and look outside. Finding no one she closes the door and bars it again and sits back down.

"The man goes back to his fireplace and sits down a little un-nerved at the sounds he is hearing. He thinks it is just kids playing games on him. As he goes back to reading his book he hears someone walking down his roof." And everyone hears someone walking down their roof and landing on the front porch, hard.

Someone jumps up and opens the front door expecting to find who walked down their roof and landed on the front porch. Finding no one he closes the door and bars it closed and goes back to the fire to sit down.

"The man has again found no one at his front door and goes back to reading his book. The book is called Swamp Thing. It's about a man who has been turned into a half man half plant who travels the wilderness killing people who turned him into this monster.

When he hears another person walking down his roof and landing on his front porch." And once again everyone hears someone walk down their roof and land heavily on their front porch.

A different lady gets up and opens the front door to see who is at their front door and landed on their front porch. Standing there looking hard she sees no one and closes the front doors and goes back to sit down.

"The man's nerves have gotten the better of him and he decides to get something to drink. As he is walking back to the fireplace to sit down and read his book the front door suddenly crashes open and in comes a half man half plant intent on killing him." Martha tells them.

And suddenly the front door crashes open and a man shaped person made out of plants comes bursting in thru the door as they crash open. And he rushes into the space headed straight for the fire pit in the middle of the room everyone is sitting at.

Everyone screams and starts to run for the back door as it rushes across the room groaning in pain.

Kate is screaming where she sits and would dearly love to get up and run but she is heavily pregnant so she raises her arm and activates her weapon and shoots him.

He momentarily is encompassed by a blue light and crash's to the floor with a heavy thud.

Kate struggles to get up on her feet and walks over to the thing with plants all over him.

Everyone has stopped trying to get out of the back door and they can all hear Martha and Alexis laughing hard. Hard enough that Alexis can't stand up anymore.

Someone goes over and turns over the body on the floor since it is laying face down.

"Castle?" The guy who turned him calls out.

Kate steps up close. "Rick?" Kate does her best to get back down and hold his face in her hands. "Rick."

Kate can still hear Martha and Alexis laughing. "Martha?" Looking for an explanation.

"It was a ghost story around the campfire mom. Dad did it all the time when I was little with other kids on a camp out." Alexis manages to get out after she stops laughing.

"We forgot you were armed Katherine. …. Still it was funny. Richards ghost stories never ended with him getting shot before." Martha is still trying to stop laughing. Richard got more than he bargained for.

"We heard someone on the roof?" Someone asks.

"Dad threw a pair of heavy rocks up on the roof and let them walk down the roof between the solar panels. Then pick them up while the door was unlocked." Alexis explains.

"How did he know when?" Another asks.

"One of the side windows isn't closed completely." Alexis explains having left it open on purpose.

"He does look like a plant." Someone comments.

"I helped dad cake himself in mud and stuff plants in his shirt and pants." Alexis answers looking at her unconscious father lying on the floor.

"I shot him." Kate moans.

"We really did forget your were armed mom." Alexis tells her.

"I shot my husband. My stupid husband." Kate went from sounding concerned to pissed very quickly.

"He's fine Katherine. You used the stun setting." Martha tells her trying to help.

"Oh he's not fine Martha. When he wakes up I'm going to kill him." Kate sounded like she meant it too.

Rick finally woke up lying on the floor where he fell. Everyone was seated around the fire.

Rick was finally awake enough that his mind could form sentences. "What happened?" He didn't feel too good.

"I shot you, you idiot." Kate tells him.

"Why did you shoot me?" Ok so he wasn't awake enough yet.

"Because you, Martha and Alexis decided to do something stupid." Kate tells him. What she wanted to do to him she couldn't since they were surrounded by people.

"It was a ghost story around the fire. It's a classic." Rick defends himself as he sits up.

"So scaring your heavily pregnant wife was a good idea. A wife who is armed?" Kate wasn't happy.

"It was a harmless prank. Or at least it was suppose to be." Rick offers as explanation holding his head since it hurt.

"You're lucky I didn't put a hole in you." Kate was mad.

Kate spent some time getting up and going over to their area to get some sleep.

Rick went outside to clean up and take a shower. Coming back inside he started to lie down next to Kate. "Go somewhere else Rick."

"Kate I'm sorry, it was just a joke. It was meant to be fun." Rick tries again.

"I almost killed you Rick. I told you once what losing you would do to me. And you decided to get stupid on me. You might die when you go hunting or something, but I never thought I would be the one to kill you.

It's not funny Rick, now go sleep somewhere else." And Kate tried not to cry herself to sleep openly in front of everyone.

It was two days later:

Kate was lying partly on top of Rick in the shuttle but it was uncomfortable so she moved to be on the floor while still keeping a hold of Rick.

"How are you feeling?" Rick asked after she ambushed him and dragged him to one of the shuttles.

"Hhhmmm, much better, thanks." Kate was feeling so much better now.

"Are you still mad at me?" Rick wanted to know. The last two days had been bad.

"YES! You scared the crap out of me Rick. I almost killed you, literally. All because you got stupid on me." Kate still hadn't forgiven him.

Problem was she was also mad at Alexis and Martha since they had helped him in his little joke.

"I know you thought it was funny. And if I wasn't armed and pregnant it might have been. But if you do anything like that again, you're going to walk with a permanent limp." Kate would still love him, but he was going to learn.

There had been a slight delay but today was the day. Kate had made it out to the barn/shed and stepped up to the server and grabbed the cable and connected Lucy to the server.

There was only the one monitor in the shed and it was located above the server. The other two were inside the lodge just inside the main entrance door. One on each side.

Lucy's Avatar she had created while on Earth popped up. "Hi Lucy, sorry for the delay." Kate tells her.

"Kate, it's good to see you. Richard, Alexis and others." Lucy can see others inside the lodge. "Where am I? Nothing looks familiar. Are we not on Tellus?" It was where she thought they were going to.

"We never made it that far. The Sun Rises finished its primary mission first. We found a colony planet in the system. A moon around a gas giant actually.

Plus we found out on board ship that I was pregnant." Kate tells her.

"Really!" Lucy tries to look down but it doesn't work that way so Kate steps back.

"Kate you're not pregnant. You are way pregnant. Scanning, …. You look to be about 8 months pregnant. So where are we? The colony planet?" Lucy could see rustic looking behind Kate. Plus six Quads behind them.

"Rick talked me into staying since it would avoid having to have the required operation." Kate explains.

"And you have connected me to a Tellus server. I can feel the difference." Lucy tells her. "Kate someone from something called Moon Shines is signaling." And Lucy is replaced with Zhukov.

"Detective Castle. We have launched the last satellite and have finished running our tests. The system should be operational. Your A.I. unit should be able to access it now. We will be braking orbit and heading for home in two hours. Put it to good use. And it has been a pleasure meeting you." And Moon Shines ends the transmission.

"Scanning, … I'm finding an entire system of multiple satellites in orbit. WOW, they are capable of a lot of things. And what it this? …. Interesting, a color plotter. …. Kate, … he called you Detective CASTLE?" Lucy questions Kate.

Kate instantly has a huge grin on her face. "Yea, Rick asked me to marry him while we were on Earth. However we chose to leave before we could get married on Earth. So we got married here." Kate tells her.

"And where is here?" Lucy asks.

"We named it Ariel." Kate tells her.

"And I missed your wedding. There probably isn't a video of it. How was it?" Lucy asks her.

"It was great Lucy. It was a mix of Tellus and Earth." And Kate walks her thru what they did.

"The very first marriage on Ariel. And your child will be the very first person born here. How romantic." Lucy comments. With Rick stepping up behind her and places his hands on her stomach while kissing the back of her head.

The baby takes this moment to start kicking and Rick can feel it. Kate moves her hands over his and starts moving them around in circles trying to calm the baby down.

Kate was feeling like a punching bag lately. And suddenly she wasn't mad at Rick or Alexis anymore.

Her feet hurt a little and so did her back, but she wouldn't change a thing. Except maybe for not being pregnant anymore. Kate wanted her baby in her arms.


	54. Chapter 54

**CH54**

Kate was bored! Being pregnant was slowing her down, and Rick wouldn't let her do anything that required work or strenuous exercise.

"This is your fist baby Kate and in case you haven't noticed, there aren't many hospitals around here if something goes wrong." Rick had argued. They had Dr. Harrison and he had a lot of nice new equipment and supplies that the Sun Rises had dropped off. So Kate relented. Didn't mean she liked it, but let Rick have his way.

Kate worked her way up and walked over to one of the monitors. "Lucy, where's Rick?"

Lucy pops up on the monitor. "Rick is in the shed with me. I monitored a power fluctuation earlier and he is searching the power leads at the moment."

"Can you put him on the monitor?" Kate wanted to see him.

Soon the monitor was a split screen of Lucy and Rick. "What's up?" Rick asks.

"I'm just bored and missing you. Since you're busy I may go help Alexis in the greenhouse." Kate had picked up a few of Alexis's tricks while on Earth.

"So far I haven't found a reason for Lucy's power fluctuation, so I may be a while." Rick hadn't even left the barn yet to check the leads from the solar panels.

"Kate, Richard, I've been using the satellites to survey the planet. This is supposed to someday be a big agricultural site. However I've found something I can't explain." Lucy interrupts them.

"Put it on screen Lucy." Kate asks of her.

Lucy and Rick disappear and a scan from space replaces them. "There is something here deep in the woods. The sun is only just now coming up in that area." Lucy explains.

It was small and unrecognizable at this distance. "It is 555 feet, 5 1/8 inches tall, and is artificial in nature. Imagery suggests it is some form of metal or possibly a composite."

Rick asks Lucy to zoom out while Kate gets everyone in the lodge to come look.

"It is really deep in that section of the forest. I don't see any place to land a shuttle anywhere close, and this mountain range to the north rules out any approach from that side." Rick comments.

Kate is asking for Lucy to zoom back in and then asks if anyone has seen anything like it.

"Can someone go put Alexis on the monitor?" Rick asks. And someone from the lodge runs out.

Alexis is with Kate as Kate explains what they are looking at. "Put Alexis on the monitor Lucy?" Rick asks.

The monitor is quickly a split screen of the object and Alexis. "It's deep in the woods pumpkin. How do you feel about a camping trip using the Quads?" Rick asks her.

Alexis had been dying for a reason to use the new Quads. "Sounds like fun dad."

"You start packing your things. Better pack warm, it looks like it might be colder over there." Rick warns her.

"I'll get started dad. You want me to pack for you too?" Alexis asks.

"Yes please. Leave room for the food and water and I'll be right there." Rick tells her and disappears from the monitor.

Alexis is done packing with Kate's help when Rick shows up with 4 days of food on him. "We don't have a list this time pumpkin, let's go thru what we might need." Rick suggests.

Food, water, tent, sleeping bags, lights, light sticks, mini-laser (mini chainsaw), rope, cell phones (camera's), winter clothes, including gloves, first aid kit, something to start a fire with, knife, bow and arrows, portable shovel.

With their volunteer pilot who would drop them off and come home, Rick and Alexis loaded two of the Quads backwards into the shuttle.

"You two be careful. I'm not raising this baby all alone." Kate hated this idea but did see the need.

"We'll be fine mom, dad and I have gone camping lots of times together." Alexis assures her.

"And you can have Lucy with her satellites track us the entire way. Every step we make." Rick also assures her. "And we have the print out of the area so we know where we are going."

They may be surrounded by everyone else but Kate kisses Rick as hard and deep as she dares without getting too carried away.

"We'll be back in four days." Rick tells Kate and the others.

With the ramp closed and everyone out of the way, the shuttle takes off.

Kate heads for the barn and sits down to watch the monitor. This monitor was closer to the ground and was easier to look into while sitting.

Lucy showed Kate and everyone in the lodge the progress of the shuttle. It took a little time to get that far away. Then Kate saw the shuttle stop in a clearing.

"Rick and Alexis are exiting the shuttle now." Came over the communications from the pilot of the shuttle. And Kate could see two wire images of quads exit the shuttle.

They seemed to stop momentarily then took off into the woods one behind the other. Then Kate watched the shuttle leave the area.

Kate still wasn't happy about this, but they did have the most experience with Quads and they were the only ones in the group who had ever gone camping in the woods before. And these two knew what to expect of each other.

Rick pulled out their map and went over it with Alexis. "We go that way pumpkin."

"Got it dad." And Alexis takes off with Rick right behind her.

They were doing fine for a while when they hit a heavy section of woods that slowed them down a lot as they weaved their way around trees.

It was getting bad and Alexis stopped and waited for her dad. Rick was off his Quad and standing next to Alexis with his map.

"This is thick dad, it's going to take forever." Hoping for another way.

"How about if we go way out this way and come in from this direction." Rick offers.

"That gets us closer to the mountain range and it'll get rocky." Alexis didn't like the alternative offered.

"We can try this path here between these two. The coloring shows it as being all the same, so it should be smooth." Rick offers.

"That means we go back to here and turn here? … It'll add at least half a day to the trip." Alexis cautions.

"So we eat and drink a little less. If we hurry we can make the entrance and set up camp for the night. Pass thru the next day and camp around here. We should make the site by lunch, spend the day there and turn around and come back." Rick is thinking.

"Let's go dad." They were burning daylight and they would be going back the way they just came for a little ways, losing time.

Alexis was back out in front. Alexis was better with maps than Rick was so she was used to leading.

"Where are they going?" Kate sees them going back the way they came. "Something must be wrong. …. Is anyone seeing this?" Kate talks into the monitor.

"They may have come across an obstacle they can't cross?" Someone in the lodge offers.

Kate remains silent and just watches.

Alexis has cleared the heavy growth of trees that was slowing them down and turns a hard left into a more northerly direction.

After a little way Alexis stopped and let Rick step up to her. "These Quads aren't bad dad. They are a lot quieter. … Where to now?"

Rick pulls out the map. "We follow along this line here then dive in to our left about here to get to the entrance where we make camp." Rick traces his finger on the map for Alexis to see.

"Got it dad." And Alexis waits until Rick is back on his Quad before she takes off.

Kate saw them suddenly turn north. "They must be trying to go around something." Kate tells herself. It was going to be a long day and Kate decides now is a good time to take a nap, so she heads for the lodge to lie down.

After lunch, that was definitely NOT Rick's cooking, Kate went over to the monitor. "How are they doing Lucy?" Kate wanted to know. Kate wanted Rick back and she also wanted his cooking back.

Lucy places their current location up on the monitor. "Why are they headed FOR the mountains? They can't hope to cross them." Kate was confused.

When suddenly she doubled over in pain. "Awww!"

"Kate, are you alright?" One of the women in the lodge saw her and heard her.

"There was a sharp stab of pain. Go find Dr. Harrison." Kate asks of her.

Several minutes later Dr. Harrison is sitting back up from being bent over Kate who is lying down in her space. "You're having false labor pains. It happens from time to time for some women. I know you don't want to, but try to lay still. It's for your own good. … Let me know if the pain returns or gets worse. You and the baby are fine, nothing to worry about." Dr. Harrison stands.

"Thanks." Kate tells him and lays back trying to relax while rubbing circles over her tummy. "Not yet little one. Not until your father and big sister are back. You stay in there, are you listening to me?"

Alexis had stopped and let her dad catch up "Hungry dad?" Alexis is hinting that she is.

"Sure, just remember to go easy on it, it needs to last." Rick reminds her.

"What do you think we'll find?" Alexis was curious but didn't have any guesses.

"You remember that original Star Trek episode where Kirk accidentally fell thru a door and activated the device and ended up an Indian god." Rick tries to get her to remember.

"The one with the asteroid deflector?" Alexis remembers. "You think it's an asteroid deflector?"

"Why not? It's possible." Rick defends his choice.

"Right dad. An Alien asteroid deflector. Just remember that one had a code you had to use to make it work." Alexis puts her helmet back on and fires up her quad.

Of course his daughter would shoot him down. "It is possible you know." Rick yells after her and puts on his helmet, fires up his quad and follows her.

It was almost dark by the time they reached the canyon entrance. "It looks tight dad. Turning around might not be possible." Alexis looks at it.

"And it would take a long time to walk back if we get trapped. Kate will kill us. … What do you want to do?" Rick asks her, since he knows he's not going alone or leaving her behind alone.

"I'll start looking for firewood." Alexis tells him and heads out into the woods.

With a fire and after dinner. "This trip is going to suck, you know that right?" Rick looks at Alexis like this was a catastrophe.

Alexis just looks at him funny. "We don't have any smores, or even marshmallows." Rick moans.

"Dad we don't even have chocolate." Alexis adds already knowing all that.

"Well then it's a good thing Kate didn't come with us." Rick chuckles. Getting Alexis to join him knowing how much Kate loves chocolate.

Skipping breakfast they head into the canyon which is remarkably wider down on the ground level.

Alexis is making good time when she makes a turn and is suddenly confronted with water and ends up plowing right thru it and out the other side where she stops. Yanking her helmet off, Alexis stands next to her quad watching Rick stop on the other side.

"Damn it! I'm soaked!" Alexis complains as she tries to use her hand to clean herself off.

Rick's helmet muffles his laughing and Alexis's complaining helps cover it.

Rick inches his quad across and is now right behind Alexis.

Alexis has a change of clothes but she needs those for the next three days, plus.

Finally Alexis puts her helmet back on and fires her quad back up hoping the wind will dry her off.

Lucky for them they pop out of the canyon and out into the forest again where Alexis stops and waits for Rick.

Pulling out the map Rick points out where they are now. "Where not going to make it before dark dad."

"We need to get as far as we can today so we will have time tomorrow." Rick tells her.

"Lunch?" Alexis asks.

"I'll get the firewood." Rick offers.

They have made it a lot deeper into the woods and stop just before dark, and eat dinner around their fire.

"Hhhhmm, smores." Rick is wishing.

"Really dad?" Alexis wonders.

"And when was the last time when the two of us went camping without smores?" Rick asks sounding hurt.

Alexis remains silent knowing he had a point.

Rick pulls out the map in the morning. "I think we are about here and we want to get here." Rick points.

"Means we go this way." And Alexis points and fires up her quad and head out with Rick right behind her.

It wasn't even lunch yet when Alexis saw it easy. It was big and it was shinny. And Alexis parked right next to it. Rick pulled up right behind her.

Pulling off his helmet. "WOW!" Rick looks up, way up.

"I take it back dad, maybe it is an asteroid deflector." Alexis's mouth is hanging open.

"Kate, Richard and Alexis have made it to the site. They are so close that it is difficult to separate them from the object." Lucy tells her.

Kate struggles to get up to look at the monitor. "I wonder what they see?"

"Lucy said what? That it was over 500 feet?" Rick asks. And starts pacing off one side and then down another.

"It's 55 feet across on each side." Rick tells Alexis after he is done stepping it off.

"It's smooth dad." Alexis runs her hand across one face. "I don't see any markings and I don't see it sitting on a base with a door."

"Ok so it's not an asteroid deflector exactly like the one in Star Trek." Rick relents.

Rick goes to his quad and pulls out the portable shovel they brought.

"What are you doing dad?" Alexis doesn't see what he's thinking.

"Maybe the base is buried, so I'm going to dig a little. You want to pull out your phone and take pictures of it and the surrounding area?" Rick asks of her.

Rick has made it down four feet but found nothing. And Alexis has taken a ton of pictures.

"What are you doing dad?" As Alexis watches him put some soil in something they brought that held one of their lunches.

"Soil sample. Maybe you and Lucy can tell us something we're not seeing." Rick explains.

"Let's have lunch and then search the surrounding area and take a few more pictures." Rick offers.


	55. Chapter 55

**CH55**

Rick and Alexis had taken pictures of the surrounding area. It looked like a forest, nothing more.

"Let's set up camp, gather some firewood and think about this thing for a minute." Rick offers.

The tent was up and all their gear was inside the tent and they were back to standing next to it.

"See that big blue rock over there." Rick points. "See if you can find one small enough to hold in one hand, I'm going to try the laser and see if I can cut off a tiny sliver to take back with us."

Rick pulls out the laser (chainsaw) they had brought with them, and lights it up and slowly moves in on one of the corners.

The second it hits it, the light bounces off at an angle and scores a tree close by.

"DAMN!" Rick yells out and pulls the laser away and kills it.

"DAD! You ok?" Alexis had seen it.

"Yea I'm fine pumpkin, it missed me. Well, guess I won't be doing that again." That was dangerous and Rick could still feel the adrenaline running thru him.

"Here's your rock dad." Alexis hands over a kinda big blue rock.

"What do you want this for?" Alexis was curious. Her dad was thinking of something.

"It looks like granite. Kinda like the stone at Stonehenge. I'm hoping that it is hard enough that I can chip a piece off the edge here." Rick explains and gets ready to take his first whack at it.

Alexis moves away. If it didn't like the laser maybe it didn't like this one either.

Rick had been pounding away at the same spot for 30 minutes now. Stopping now and again to run his hand over the spot.

"Nothing! It's as smooth now as when I started." Rick was getting pissed.

"If this thing is solid it's gotta weigh how many thousands of pounds?" Rick wonders.

"55 feet across and 555 feet tall might mean it's hollow dad. Instead of sitting on a base that houses the controls, maybe they are inside?" Alexis wonders, still on it being an asteroid deflector.

"Ok, come over here and help me listen. … I'm going to pound the side here. Tell me what you hear." And Rick swings back and slams his blue rock against the side of it.

Alexis shakes her head. "Do it some more dad." Alexis wanted to hear it a lot, not just once.

Rick has hit it about a dozen times now. "Here gimme, it's your turn to listen." Alexis asks for the rock.

It's kinda big for her so she used both hands to hold it and starts pounding on it after Rick nods his head for her to start.

Alexis's arms hurt and she stops and drops the rock. "What do you think dad?"

"It sounds like the walls are thick, just not solid thick." Rick offers up.

"Yea that's kinda what I was thinking. What we see might be a veneer, like a sheet of metal on a very solid framework that is hollow in the middle." Alexis offers up her opinion.

"Yea." Rick agrees. "So if it's hollow, where is the door? Provided there is one." Rick wonders. "Let's walk the surface with our hands. Everywhere we can." And Rick gets started from where he is, with Alexis a little behind him.

Rick was done and waited for Alexis to finish. "Anything?"

"Smooth as glass dad. Even the corners seem to have a smooth edge to them." Alexis had nothing.

Rick decides to whistle the tune to Close Encounters. "Dad?"

"It was worth a shot!" Rick defends himself. "Maybe if we had a communicator to flip open. Kirk to Enterprise."

"We have our cell phones." Alexis offers.

"And without a cell tower they are not worth much. We should have remembered to grab at least one of the two satellite phones." Rick lets out a long breath. Coulda, woulda, shoulda.

"We had 20 minutes dad." Alexis points out.

"Spock said a series of notes, right? So maybe one of the songs on our cell phones?" Rick offers. Getting one of Kate's patented glares from Alexis.

"You've been hanging around your mom too long." Rick glares back, just not as good.

Alexis however squeals and launches herself at Rick and hugs him. "Not that I'm complaining mind you, but what was that for?"

"You referred to Kate as mom." Alexis tells him burying her head in his chest area.

Rick does his best to think back to the words he used. Getting nothing he just hugs her back and kisses the top of her head.

Rick decides to try his idea and pulls out his cell phone and has it start playing songs off his list. Pulling over a rock to set his phone on.

"How about an early dinner. This could take some time. Maybe our two heads can come up with something else." Rick offers and moves to the fire pit to start the fire.

Alexis moves out to collect more wood.

Alexis is sitting near the fire watching her dad cook. "Dad what is that song?" Alexis has never heard it before.

"That my uneducated daughter is a classic. It's called 'In the Mood' from Glenn Miller." Rick informs her.

"Sorry dad, way before my time." Alexis teases.

"Oh really?" Rick has taken the bait. "Even Jerry Lee Lewis has done this song." Rick fights back.

"Dad! Really?" Alexis can't resist

"Just because Taylor Swift doesn't sing it doesn't make it bad." Alexis has gotten to him.

"Oh really? Five bucks says a Taylor Swift song opens this thing before a Glenn Miller song does." Put your money where your mouth is dad.

"Deal!" However no sooner that Rick says it than he regrets it. He's only got 2 Glenn Miller songs on his phone. This one and 'Moonlight Serenade'. Alexis probably has entire albums of Taylor Swift on her phone. Maybe her battery will die after a couple of songs?

It didn't! But it didn't open either!

"Ok, what's left?" Rick asks. Then an idea hits him.

Rick stands and faces one of the faces. "Friend." Rick tells it.

"What was that dad?" Her dad has finally cracked.

"It was in that Lord of the Rings movie. Speak friend and enter." Rick defends his idea.

"I think that was in dwarven dad." Alexis corrects him.

"Well I don't know dwarven. … But, I do know other languages." Rick pulls out his phone and starts typing.

"друг"

"amigo"

"Freund"

"amico"

"NOTHING! …. This thing is pissing me off." Rick is all set to kick it then remembers it's made of metal so it is likely to hurt.

"Open Sesame." Rick tries.

"Abra kdabra." Alexis tries.

"What was that incredibly stupid movie where this thing emits a noise that represents a map of the human DNA in XYZ coordinates, but is missing a pair of chromosomes? So they broadcast a completed signal back at it." Rick offers.

"Oh I know that one, …. It's, …. Mission to Mars." Alexis answers back. Now where is my chocolate bar as a reward? Ooops, that's Kate's reward, I want cinnamon buns. "Except it hasn't and we can't." Alexis points out.

"Ok I'm fresh out of ideas, got any?" Rick looks to Alexis.

Alexis scrunches her face. Alexis had nothing. Alexis looks up at it. It was a big blank something. Alexis shakes her head. "Sorry dad."

Rick hugs her. "You don't have to be sorry pumpkin. Maybe it's just a big hollow something. Maybe it's out here to waste our time with?" Rick didn't know. "At least we got a camping trip out of it." Rick grins at her.

"Kate according to satellite coverage Rick and Alexis are still at the site. They seemed to have walked the area surrounding it however they seem to be spending most of their time directly next to it." Lucy tells her.

Kate struggles to get up and walk over to the monitor. "It's dark here, is there still light over there?"

"They have roughly one hour of daylight left to them." Lucy answers.

"I wonder what they have found." Kate knows they are isolated. "Has anything happened since they have been there?"

"I have detected nothing using the satellites. The object remains unchanged." Lucy tells her.

"As soon as Rick gets back he's going to need to go right back out hunting." Kate was going to miss him, but at least Alexis would be here. "When is the next ship due?" Kate changes the subject.

"Approx. two weeks." Lucy tells her.

"About when I'm officially due." Kate notices.

Kate had another sudden craving so she went looking thru the dry storage area to find something. Emerging with an apple and a banana. Kate ate them but it wasn't what she wanted so back in she went.

This time she came out with some jerky and it had a taste more in line with what she was looking for.

"Dad, we didn't put it here, mom and her people didn't put here and aliens took mom's people from Earth. So that means the aliens put it here. You're a writer, can you think like an alien?" Alexis knew he thought like a bad guy and a good guy. Maybe he could think like an alien.

"Think like an alien?" Rick ponders the question.

"Yea, why would an alien leave it here?" Think like an alien dad.

"I'm an alien. I stole people from Earth and took them to another planet. I want humans for something. Tellus isn't Earth. Each generation on Tellus will react different than the ones on Earth.

I only took 16 thousand of them so they are forced to work together if they want to live.

But Tellus is more advanced than we are in roughly the same amount of time. To do that means I left something behind that helped them. However Kate hasn't said anything about it.

So either it is a secret, not likely, or they didn't get to keep it. This message will self destruct in 10 seconds. Or 6 months, something.

The satellites show we are the only people on this planet. However everything on this planet is all from Earth. Plants, animals, everything. But not all of it is from the same time. Tigger was extinct 11,000 year ago. And so far all of the other animals are more recent.

This planet is perfect for us but these aliens didn't bring us here, we found it.

I have an interest in humans, so where they go I would want to know about it.

So I would leave something behind that would tell me when they got here. Especially if I was a long ways away from here at the time. Or I always was." Rick looks up at it.

"So it's a ground satellite?" Alexis asks.

"Maybe it's a library and a ground satellite. We are getting help from Tellus so we don't need their help, so we can't get in and get access to the library. If we did need help, …. say we escaped from Earth just before a catastrophe happened. Asteroid, thousands of nukes, something.

They want us for something. Experiment maybe? Maybe life is not as wide spread as we think and us aliens are all alone, so we take humans and put them on other planets and see what happens.

Lucy said there was a power fluctuation. Maybe that fluctuation was this thing signaling that we were here. If I didn't want the humans to learn anything I would have what's inside this eat itself. A form of self destruct." Rick speculates.

"A signaling device. Maybe it works both ways." Alexis wonders.

"Pumpkin?" Rick wasn't following.

"This is talking to them and they are talking to it. Just not all the time." Alexis offers.

"They want to see what we do AFTER we leave our planet, whichever planet that is. We don't need the library that's in here, provided there is a library in here, so it is all locked up. Can't get in." Rick speculates still.

"If it sends something again maybe Lucy can read it next time, and we'll learn something." Rick stares at it.

"Any change Lucy?" Kate asks her chewing on one of her jerky sticks.

"Richard and Alexis are still standing next to the object. I see no movement however." Lucy tells her.

"They have their cell phones, you sure we can't talk to them?" Kate wanted to talk to them.

"I'm sorry Kate. Without a cell phone tower they are almost useless." Lucy tells her again.

"We should have taken one of those satellite phones we had at the summer house." Kate kicks herself.

"A satellite phone would be nice. That I could put to use." Not what Kate wanted to hear.

"I still want to know what they found." Kate hated being out of the loop.

Kate was busy eating breakfast and wishing it was Rick who had made it. Problem was so did everyone else. And the temporary cook was taking a lot of flak over it too.

"Kate, Rick and Alexis have started back towards their drop off point. They appear to be coming back the same way they got there. This will mean it will take them roughly 2-1/2 days to reach the landing zone for the flight home." Lucy tells her and them since everyone in the lodge had been keeping track.

For the next 2-1/2 days Kate had forced herself along with everyone else to eat what was cooked at meal time. "I wish they would hurry up, I'm starving." Someone grumbles on the way out the door.

Kate was grinning. Rick's cooking ability was apparently appreciated now that he wasn't here, and Kate had to agree. Kate missed his cooking and having him close to her at night.

Lucy had alerted the pilot when to leave to pick Rick and Alexis up.

Kate watched Rick and Alexis and their quads disappear into the shuttle. "Lucy put Rick on the monitor." Kate wanted to talk to him. And she had a crowd. Practically everyone was clustered around the monitors to hear what they had found.

Rick's face popped up on the monitor. "Hi Kate." Rick was happy to see her.

It was all Kate could do to not stroke the monitor like it was Ricks face, since she had an audience. "What did you find?"

"It's tall, 55 feet on each side, it's made of metal and we both think it's hollow." Rick tells her.

"Hollow? Did you get inside?" Kate asks.

Rick shakes his head. "No doors. Each side is as smooth as glass. Even the corners are smooth."

"Did you try cutting open a doorway?" One of the others asks.

"Yea." Rick lifts up his hand and flexes his fingers. "It bounced off and nearly took one of my fingers with it. Almost cut down a tree not far away."

"We tried various words, lots of tones from music on our cell phones. We built a little fire next to it. We even hit it with some granite. We didn't make a dent or even scratch it." Rick looked down, defeated.

Alexis worms her way in front. "It's smooth mom, there is no writing of any kind on it. The heat from the fire didn't expose any hidden letters. We even touched it with some wires connected to a battery. We got nothing." Even Alexis lowers her head in defeat.

"We've got a few theories on what it is, but we can go over them after we get home." Rick tells her.

"Hurry back babe, we'll be waiting." Kate tells him and the monitor goes dark. To be replaced with a satellite view of the shuttle flying home.

"Five days of crappy food so we can find out it's still a mystery." Someone walks off dejected.

Kate however was grinning with pride.


	56. Chapter 56

**CH56**

Rick, Turner and a couple of others had left that morning to go hunting. They needed the supplies. And Kate was out in the greenhouse with Alexis helping a little. Alexis wanted Kate inside lying down, but Kate wouldn't do it.

Alexis had long since learned mom was stubborn from time to time.

Kate had been having pain almost all of last night. There was a fair amount of time between each one so she kept it to herself. Kate knew if she said anything Rick wouldn't leave and they needed the food.

When Kate doubled over in pain and she could feel something trickle its way down her legs.

"Mom?" Alexis had spotted the sudden pain.

"Help me back to the lodge pumpkin, my water just broke." Kate looks at Alexis, part shock, part pain, part FINALLY!

"You're having the baby, NOW? …. But dad's not here." And Alexis knew he wouldn't be for hours still.

"Just help me to the lodge and go find Dr. Harrison." Kate asked of her.

Kate was soon lying down in their space in the lodge while Alexis put out the word for Dr. Harrison.

"Go tell Lucy, maybe she can get a hold of your father. …. Awww!" Kate tells her followed by a sudden pain.

Alexis runs for the monitor. "Rick isn't answering and according to satellite imaging he and Turner are not anywhere near the shuttle. Neither are the other two." Lucy had already heard Kate.

"Dad needs to be here." Alexis moans at Lucy.

"We need to wait until they return to the shuttle." Lucy is forced to tell her.

"CRAP!" And Alexis goes back to Kate.

Rick and Turner see jackpot city. A family of four wild hogs itching to have an arrow in their sides and become dinner, lunch and breakfast.

They have been out here together a lot lately and know what each is going to do. They each take their first shot. Turner takes the one on the far left and Rick the one on the far right.

After firing and getting hits they quickly draw out new arrows and fire at the other two who are alarmed but haven't run yet.

With four dead hogs on the ground, they both get busy.

They have to get them back to the shuttle fast or scavengers will come smelling blood.

They have them all tied to poles, two to each pole and lift one pole on each shoulder. It was painful but they needed the meat and they had a freezer now to put them in.

They hadn't gotten very far. "I need a break, they're just too heavy." And the hogs end up on the ground.

"This next supply run better have communication with them. We could use the help right about now." Turner tells Rick a little out of breath.

Rick was in a little better shape but he agreed silently, sucking in air.

They were both back up after a 15 minute break only to be back down again after a 20 minute walk. Gulping down some of their water.

15 minutes later they were back up only to crash 20 minutes later. This time a jerky strip and some water then back up and moving.

The other two were back with piles of sugar cane and something they didn't know what, but hoped Rick would. Then went out for more sugar cane.

They were just coming back with another pile when Rick and Turner showed up dragging their feet with four hogs on two poles.

"Nice you two." They were impressed.

Rick and Turner dropped their poles and then themselves. "We'll let you two load them into the shuttle." Turner tells them.

One of them picks up the item they don't know and shows it to Rick. "You know what this is?"

Rick would take it from him to look but his arms hurt too much. "That my friend is a pineapple, and they are delicious. Are there more?"

"A lot actually. They were spread out all over. Just these plants sitting on the ground with these things. Mostly one per plant. We had to use the laser to cut it free." Rick is told.

"Nice! You load the hogs and the cane and we'll come help you get more of them. It'll be a nice change." Rick tells him.

Lucy has spotted them all return to the shuttle and starts calling them, but no one answers. And she watches all four of them walk away. "Kate is going to kill me." Lucy knows Kate is going to be pissed.

All four of them have returned some time later with one bag each full of pineapple. The tailgate in the back is up and the bay is mostly full so they have to go in thru the side.

Only now does someone answer the communications. "Lucy, what's up." One of them asks.

"Kate is in labor, has been for hours now." Lucy tells him.

"CRAP! I'll get Rick."

Rick is soon on the monitor. "Kate's having the baby? NOW!" Of course she is. Just my luck. "Come on guys kick this thing into overdrive. I'm missing the delivery of my baby!"

They are soon in the air and traveling as fast as the shuttle will allow.

They have only just managed to hit the ground when Rick is out the door and running for the lodge. "KATE!" And runs for their space which has sheets hanging around it now.

Rick makes it past the sheets and finds Kate, Alexis, Dr. Harrison and a little bundle on Kate's chest.

Alexis is up and hugging her father. "It's a girl dad!" Alexis was beyond happy. She had a sister.

Rick kneels down next to Kate. "Hi, how are you feeling? I can't believe I missed the birth of my daughter. AGAIN!" Rick was happy then he looked so sad.

"Rick I'm fine, we both are. She's gorgeous babe." Kate strokes a finger across the babies face.

Rick leaned down to kiss her and then kiss the forehead of the baby. "Did you finally select a name?" Rick asks knowing their deal. If it's a girl Kate gets to name it and if it was a boy Rick got to name it.

"Meet Emily Jo Castle." Kate tells him.

"Jo for your mother. I like it. I can call her M or L or Jo. Sounds perfect." Rick was still smiling. Then stroked his own finger down her face.

Rick turns to Dr. Harrison. "How are they?"

"They are both just fine. I think her labor started yesterday but it was light and your wife kept her mouth closed about it." Dr. Harrison chastised her yet again. This time in front of Rick.

"There were no complications though. The baby will likely start feeding in a couple of hours. I'll leave and let you three enjoy. I'll be back in a few hours to see how you are doing." And Dr. Harrison leaves.

"You're a big sister now." Rick informs Alexis.

"She was great babe, even though I asked her to leave. But she wouldn't. Alexis told me that since you weren't here it was her duty to be here. She was terrific." Kate tells him.

Rick deflates. "Yea, wasn't here."

"Rick it's alright. You were out doing what we all needed you to be doing. …. Why did you say, again?" Kate didn't want him to be sad about not being here.

"I wasn't allowed to be there for when Alexis was born either. Meredith wouldn't allow it. I didn't even get to bring Alexis home. I didn't technically see Alexis until she was actually home." Rick informs her.

Alexis had her hands over her mouth, she wanted to cry. My god, what had her first mother done to her father?

Kate was shocked and then wanted to cry and then she was mad. Kate thinks she should have broken more of her bones than she already had.

"OH babe. I'm so sorry. I screwed up. I should have told you about the labor pains when they started. You would have stayed. I'm so sorry." Kate had tears.

The baby took this moment to start crying. Kate starts trying to rock her while lying down. "Sshh Emily it's alright. It isn't anything you did. Ssshhh."

Rick takes the baby from Kate and starts rocking her while cooing at her at the same time.

It takes a couple of minutes but after a little bouncing she clams down. Rick passes her back to Kate.

"I hate to say hi and bye but we came back with four pigs that I need to clean quickly and get into the freezer." Rick hates to leave.

"It's ok babe, we'll be here. Go." Kate tells him knowing he is right. Kate can't be selfish.

Rick leans down and kisses both of them. Then gets up and leaves. He makes it just past the sheets when Alexis stops him.

"Dad?" Alexis was crying. "I'm sorry. I didn't know mom was that mean." Alexis stared at the floor.

"Oh pumpkin it's not your fault. I loved you the minute I saw you. Just like Emily, and you're going to be great. And we both have Kate now. Our family is terrific. And I'm proud of you Alexis. You're growing up and you were there for Kate when she needed you.

You're already the perfect daughter and big sister. Emily is going to love you as she grows up." Rick takes Alexis in his arms and hugs her.

Alexis wipes away a few tears. "Thanks dad. You should go. You have work to do."

"Go take care of your mom and sister. I'll be back as soon as I'm done." Rick kisses her and lets go of her and heads for his pigs.

While he was working on his third pig having gotten the first two into the freezer when he heard that two shuttles had just landed. Rick stopped for a moment to find out who was here.

"Captain Montgomery, it's good to see you." Rick greets him.

"Castle how are you doing?" Roy shakes his hand.

"I'm doing great, Kate just gave birth to our second daughter." Rick tells him happy. Missing the sour face on the guy behind Roy.

"Excellent. Well I've also got another doctor to add to your group. This is Dr. Davidson. He volunteered to serve here." Roy tells him.

"Really, always good to have another doctor, welcome." Rick offers his hand. Dr. Davidson however makes no effort to take it.

"Ok, well Kate is this way." And Rick escorts both of them to Kate.

"Hey Kate, we have guests." Rick stands to one side to display Roy and Dr. Davidson.

Kate with baby in hand is sitting up having just finished feeding her daughter. "JOSH! … What the hell are you doing here?" Kate was instantly mad.

"Dr. Davidson volunteered and you could use another doctor." Roy tells her.

"Get him out! He stays here over my dead body!" Kate yells at them.

"Kate please, give me another chance. I made a mistake, I know that now" Josh isn't giving up on her. Kate was his, not some Earthers.

"Get him off of this planet. NOW!" Kate is still yelling.

Alexis pulls her dad to one side and pulls him down. "Ex boyfriend and he's an ass dad."

Kate was screaming that his wife wanted him gone. "Take him back up to your ship Captain, he isn't wanted here." Rick asks of Roy.

"Who do you think you are that you can order me around?" Josh literally spits it out at Rick.

That was enough for Rick. His open right hand finds Josh's nose and receives a nice crunching sound as he breaks it shoving what's left of it into his face, putting Josh on the floor.

"My WIFE and I are the official Governors of this planet and you're going back to the rock you crawled out from under back on Tellus. That's who I am. And since you're a doctor, you can fix your own broken nose back on the Sun Rises." Rick growls out at Josh. "Now Captain!"

Roy turns to the pilots who brought them down. "Escort Dr. Davidson to the shuttle, unload it and then take him up to the ship and confine him to quarters." Roy orders them.

"I am sorry detective Castle, I did not know." Roy talks to Kate.

However the noise got the baby to wake and start crying. "Sshhh, I'm sorry Emily. The bad man is gone now. Sshhh." As Kate tries to clam her by bouncing her lightly. "Sshh, mommy is fine now. You're father got rid of the bad man. Ssshhh."

Aboard the Sun Rises for this trip.

**A/C split system wall mounted units for the lodge.**

**A much improved space heating system for the lodge.**

**A large amount of farming equipment. Most of which needs to be assembled.**

**Communication headsets for everyone to use as needed.**

**Parts for two more greenhouses.**

**One of the two shuttles was remaining behind, giving them a total of three now.**

**Two more Hydrogen creating and fill stations for the farming equipment.**

**Crates of clothing, medical supplies and monitoring equipment, as well as personal hygiene items.**

**Two nurses to assist Dr. Harrison with medical care of the colonists.**

Captain Montgomery has everyone gathered around the fire pit inside the lodge. "Each trip out here from now on will be leaving behind a shuttle for your use, until you have 12 of them in total.

There are presently three cargo ships under construction. The first one will be done in about 6 months. The others will follow in one month increments. These will be bringing the really big heavy machinery. Items needed to start building the first two cities with a train in-between.

Along with this will be people sent to increase the colony size and work the farms. As well as the infrastructure to support those two cities.

Somewhere along the way fewer people and supplies will come in as this colony becomes more self-sufficient. At that time food export will increase and process the food for shipment.

After the cargo ships have completed construction the Sun Rises is going to be sent out to search for another colony planet. Once this planet is deemed self-sufficient, Castle family, it is likely you will be asked to establish that colony when the time comes. … Asked, not told.

Also near this time the Moon Shines will be sent to Earth to determine what is happening there.

No offense, but Earth and her massive amount of weapons scares the crap out of us.

Personally speaking, I hope I never have to deal with that planet again in my lifetime.

It is likely Castle that you will be asked to go with the Moon Shines in order to give a more accurate disposition of Earth and what is happening there. … Again, asked, not told.

Miss Alexis, with your information on Hydroponics, American Indian Health and Diet Project as well as the Andasol Solar Power Station and drinking water from air humidity stations (windtraps) have already started construction and will be starting the testing phase soon.

Plans for Desalinization and Hydro-power are already in the planning phase for this colony.

I have been ordered by the council to convey their personal thanks for all the data you have provided.

I've also be ordered to tell you that if there is something you want all you have to do is ask." Roy tells all of them, especially Alexis.

This gets a round of applause from everyone in the room. Alexis blushes a nice bright crimson color and gets hugs and kisses from Kate, Rick and Martha. Which only deepens the color more.


	57. Chapter 57

**CH57**

It was six months later now:

The Sun Rises was headed for its first system in search of another colony planet. Thanks to their success with the last one, Ariel, they did not plan on overlooking the possibility of moons around a gas giant.

The first cargo ship had arrived earlier than expected. It was just now leaving orbit to head back to Tellus.

It had brought a huge amount of supplies along with more people. The first of the 2 major cities for Ariel were about to have ground breaking ceremonies. Both cities were going to be variations of the mile high city on Tellus. The design was going to be similar, almost as tall, just not hold as many people.

Once they had a few floors completed for both they would start construction of the twin rail system between them.

Alexis was now teaching instead of doing. There were now 3 sets of 3 large greenhouses set up. Alexis was teaching 14 adults what she knew about growing pretty much everything. Plus Lucy was home schooling her, since they did not yet have any schools for her to attend.

Rick no longer had to hunt for food. They now had a dedicated team with weapons similar to Kate's, except they were portable and only had the stun setting. Forcing those hunting to finish the kill, personally. That part had not gone over too well. Rick had gone out several times with them and had shown them everything he knew.

Rick was now mostly husband, cook and writer. Since he no longer had to hunt and clean what he brought back, he had time to go back to writing. His favorite passion in life. His next Nikki Heat book would be out in a few months if he could keep to the schedule. The people of Tellus were his new readers.

There were now 23 women from the original colony group that were pregnant. Plus there had been 30 marriages since Rick and Kate on Ariel.

Rick and Kate had asked for an Architect to design them a house to put on their island. They had already gone over all the basics of what they wanted. In about 2 months they would review the preliminary design and make changes if they wanted then. They were hoping to break ground on it in about 6 months.

It was going to take a number of cargo trips to bring the necessary supplies and people.

Another thing that was going to have construction start soon was a ship yard. Alexis and Rick were convinced that there was fish, lobster, shrimp, tuna and other seafood life in the oceans of Ariel. And they were going to need ships to catch it all.

Kate had gotten up the same time Rick did. Rick went to start breakfast for everyone, which was easier now since he had help that he was teaching tricks of the trade to, while Kate was just now feeding Emily after taking a shower.

Emily was still being breast fed though Rick and Kate had been debating when to stop that and switch solely to baby food. Emily was also beginning to get the hang of crawling across the floor.

Kate had to chase her down one day after Emily had gotten up a head of steam.

When Kate was done she picked Emily up and went to find Rick. "Hi babe, almost ready?" Kate had gotten hungrier lately for some reason. But she wasn't gaining weight. Kate had however started taking up running again after giving birth to Emily.

Rick leaned in and gave the baby a kiss. "And how is my baby L this morning?" Rick coos at her.

Kate lightly swats him. "Rick, you're going to give her a complex. Her name is Emily, not L or M or Jo." Kate chastises Rick. Though to be truthful her middle name was Jo, so he was partly right.

Rick just chuckles and gives Kate a quick kiss. Rick had taken to calling Emily 'L' ever since he saw her take off crawling like a train across the floor. It reminded him of a Lionel train, hence he started calling her 'L'.

"And why are you hungry all of a sudden?" Rick asks her again.

"I don't know, I just am." Kate tells him stealing a strip of bacon from the cooked pile.

"You're not eating for two are you?" Rick teases.

"Oh don't even think that. I'm not a baby making factory." Kate steals another piece.

"You keep that up and there won't be anything for the rest of us to eat." Rick teases.

"Oh shush, just for that I'm taking Emily over to Dr. Harrison for our monthly checkup." Kate tells him as she steals still another piece and walks off, eating it as she goes. While Emily tries to take it from her and put it in her mouth. Along with everything else lately.

That was another thing that had been completed recently. They had a nice brand new state of the art medical center. Complete with everything you would ever want. They had 3 doctors and 5 nurses in the colony now. And one of the nurses was pregnant.

Kate could easily see the massive greenhouse structures that took up a lot of space on her way to medical. Alexis's real birthday was a little less than 3 months away, and Kate had been trying to figure out how to celebrate it. Kate had no intention of missing it this time.

The garden Alexis had planted when they first got here was now a shadow of its former self. The valley was now packed with grape vines. They had soon found that this area had perfect soil and climate to grow grapes. Now there was row after row of grape vines.

The first distillery for making wine had already broken ground. Alexis was presently struggling with what to call it.

"Dr. Harrison?" Kate found him as soon as she entered.

"Detective Castle, time for your two's monthly?" Kate blushed again. Only Dr. Harrison or the captains of the ships that came called her that. Everyone else called her Kate. Kate still got a rush when someone referred to her as Castle instead of Beckett.

"Let's start with Emily shall we?" Emily was the first baby born on Airel and she was still a celebrity of sorts.

Dr. Harrison had her giggling under his hands in no time. "Well you are one healthy and happy baby, aren't we?" Dr. Harrison coos at her while tickling her at the same time.

"Ok detective Castle, hop up on my table here and we'll do you next." Dr. Harrison pats his table a couple of times.

After some time. "Well your eyesight is starting to get worse. You will likely need correction to read up close soon, which is an easy fix. Nothing to worry about.

Hhhhmmm, you're blood work up is a little off. I've seen this on you before once. Let me check my records." Dr. Harrison moves over to a monitor and starts tapping on the screen.

Kate has decided to sit up and watch him search.

"Yea, I thought so." Dr. Harrison talks to himself. "Ok lay back down for me." And he runs a scan over Kate.

"Yup, see this little spot here?" Dr. Harrison taps the monitor.

Kate kinda saw it but it was so tiny. Kate took a big breath. "Can it be removed?" Kate was thinking cancer.

"Well I suppose if that is what you and your husband choose to do. However I thought you chose to live here so you didn't have to worry about having to have an operation to prevent pregnancy in the future?" Dr. Harrison was confused.

"We did. Rick practically died when he found out what was going to happen to me after the baby. Him, Alexis and especially Martha. They couldn't believe, …." Kate stopped talking.

Kate slapped her hands over her mouth. "I'm not, …. You're not trying to tell me, …. NO, I'm not, …. I can't be?" Kate looks at Dr. Harrison pleading.

"Well I'm pretty sure you know how you can be, since you most definitely are. …. Pregnant." Dr. Harrison tells Kate. "By the looks of it, I'd say about 7 to 9 weeks in. You sure you haven't noticed anything?"

"I've been running a lot lately to get back into shape and I know I missed my period but I thought it was due to too much exercise. And I have been eating a lot lately." Kate looked like Dr. Harrison should just shoot her.

"Rick is going to kill me." Kate lowers her head into her hands. "I am a baby making factory." Kate mock cries having just teased Rick about it just minutes ago.

"We'll I'm pretty sure you know what to do now. …. Here are your prenatal vitamins. …. Watch what you eat and drink and you should have another perfect baby, just like this one here." Dr. Harrison tickles Emily again. Getting the reaction he was expecting.

Kate took her pills and picked up Emily and headed for the greenhouses in search of Alexis. It takes a little time since there are so many of them now, but finally finds her.

Alexis has spotted her walking in. "Hi mom, Hi L." Alexis calls out and walks over to them and kisses the baby and offers to take her from Kate.

Kate shakes her head about Alexis being corrupted by Rick over Emily's name but hands her over anyway.

"And how is my little sister today?" Alexis bounces her a little in her arms.

"We both just left Dr. Harrison for our monthly physical, so she is perfect." Kate tells her.

"It's those super Castle genes L. You're going to love them." Alexis coos at her and bounces her a little.

"We need to go find your father." Kate tells her. Deciding she might as well die now.

"What has dad done now?" Alexis knows her father.

"Come on he's probably cleaning up from breakfast." Something Kate hasn't had yet and knows she probably should. Provided Rick doesn't kill her.

Kate lets Alexis carry Emily. Kate was still impressed how good Alexis was with her. Kate knew she was lucky to have her.

Kate and Alexis with Emily step up to Rick. "Hi babe."

"Uh oh, I'm sensing a triple team. What have I done now?" Rick is wondering if he should offer a universal apology and get it over with.

"Where's Martha?" Kate figures everyone should be here.

"Mother is off chasing down that new doctor that showed up with the last cargo ship. She wanted to get to him before anyone else did." Rick tells her.

Kate couldn't help but giggle. Kate could only hope she was as active as Martha is at that age.

"You must have just missed her." Rick knew they both went to medical. "I've still got some breakfast left over if you want some?" Rick offers both of them.

"I'll take it right after we talk." Kate tells him.

"Uh oh, that usually means trouble. What did Dr. Harrison tell you? Is L ok?" Rick was instantly worried.

"No, Emily is perfectly healthy. It's actually about me." Kate tells them.

Alexis has stopped bouncing Emily and Rick looked like he was ready to cry instantly.

"I found out why I'm hungry lately. … I'm pregnant." Kate cringed waiting for what she knew was coming.

Kate saw Alexis instantly start to glow from the smile she was now wearing. Then Kate found herself in a giant bear hug that Rick was giving her.

"Rick, ….. Can't, ….. Breath." Kate barely gets out.

Rick lets go of her and holds her head between his hands. "You're pregnant? Really?" Kate just nods.

Then Rick kisses her hard quickly. Then wraps his arms around her. "I love you." Rick whispers into her ear.

Kate can't help but melt into Rick and starts trying to blink back tears. He was happy, not mad. And if the look on Alexis's face was any indication she was happy too.

"Pregnant mom? Really?" Alexis was practically bouncing.

Kate couldn't stop the tears. Kate was happy and in love. Rick was happy and loved her. Alexis was holding their baby and was happy and loved her.

"Are you alright mom?" Alexis saw he mother crying in her dads arms.

"I'm fine Alexis. Everything is perfect. Just perfect." Kate uses one of her hands to wipe tears away while still holding onto Rick with the other.

"How many bedrooms were we planning on having in our house?" Rick suddenly asks out of the blue.

"Bedrooms?" Kate was lost. How did how many bedrooms matter now? "Four, why?" Kate puts her free arm back around Rick.

"Just thinking ahead is all." Rick tells Kate.

"Thinking ahead?" Kate pulls back but Rick still has a hold of her. "Just how many children are we talking about here?" Kate was ready to hit him.

"Guests, mother, maybe your father." Rick offers up quickly, even if it wasn't what he was thinking.

"Uh huh, nice save." Kate knows he's lying, but moves back in and lifts up on tippy toes to kiss him anyway.

"I'll tell the architect we want 5 bedrooms when I see her." Rick tells her. Kate however says nothing.

Alexis is standing off to one side taking it all in, and doing her best to dance in place while holding Emily. Her dad had just talked Kate into having another baby after this one.

Alexis couldn't take it any longer. "Mom?" And offers up Emily for her to take.

Kate lets go of Rick and takes Emily. The second she does Alexis breaks out into a dance and starts squealing. Her secret dream was coming true.

"Feed me Rick. Unless you want me and our baby to starve?" Kate tells him. Chuckling at Alexis's apparent joy at having another sibling.

"Yes mistress Kate. Mongo hear, Mongo obey." Rick tells her trying his best to sound like Alex Karris.

Kate however doesn't get it and just looks at him funny. Alexis however is giggling. Rick had made it his mission that Alexis watch the classics.

All of the Castle's had a town meeting to attend. Kate and Rick were team governors of the colony planet, however what they wanted to talk about was too big for them to make a choice of this size for everyone.

Rick, Kate and Alexis holding Emily were standing in the middle of the lodge near the large fire pit.

"I'll start by thanking everyone who came today. (they got a little over half the people to show up. Most of the people not here had a reason not to attend. It was a working colony after all). I asked my wife about something that took place on Earth a long time ago, and it turned out to be one of the better decisions that had been made on Earth. So I wanted to know if we could try it here.

What it entails is dedicating large areas of the planet as a protected area where no development of any kind for any reason can take place. The natural beauty of the planet is maintained.

The problem is that wildlife has a tendency to migrate from one section of the planet to another. If we give them one spot but take away the other we give them no place to go.

These same places are used as perfect places for camping, picnics, hiking trails and just viewing the natural beauty of the planet.

This will not be easy and will take time to figure out where animals migrate to and from and how we can allow them to get there. Keep in mind part of this access could be a bridge or two that goes OVER our plantings.

These bridges need to be something the wildlife is willing to use. Likely meaning the floor will likely need dirt, plants to allow some of them to hide from predators. Maybe some man made watering holes to assist them in their migration.

It was their planet before we came in and took it over.

One of the mistakes that Earth has made is they forgot that humans are part of nature not the owner of nature. They are only just now figuring out all the mistakes they made in the past, with all the tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, drought or freezing weather they are suffering through.

And it's not the numbers of these things but the size of them and the amount of damage they are causing to people, buildings and the planet." Rick tells all of them and stands to one side.

Kate steps up. "My first several months I spent on Earth I was at Rick's and Alexis's summer home surrounded by nature. The large city they lived in was busy, noisy and a little dirty. Their summer home was the exact opposite. It was quiet and peaceful. And the woods and lakes surrounding it were someplace you could go to, to relax and unwind from the busy life of the city.

On Tellus we have already learned that if our cities take up less of a footprint on the planet which leaves the rest of the planet untouched. While a desert might be nice for some people to visit or live in, it isn't for everyone.

These protected areas may not be for everyone. Maybe you like life in a city and see no reason to leave. I'll admit at first I didn't like the slow pace of living in their summer home surrounded by nothing but unspoiled land.

However after spending some time there, like I had a choice since we were trapped due to one of their planets massive hurricanes that caused a great deal of damage, I found that it was ever so calming and a lot of fun.

We're not asking for you to make a decision tonight. There will be a colony vote in four weeks from today. As you leave you can pick up a brochure explaining what we are trying to achieve. We are both hopeful that you will see the vision of what we are trying to achieve.

Not to worry the brochure is bio-degradable and will not spoil the planet with trash.

I want to thank all of you for coming. Remember to pick up your brochure on your way out and share with anyone who couldn't make it here today." Kate tells them and walks back over to Rick.

"You think they'll go for it babe?" Kate asks Rick wrapping her arms around his neck looking into his eyes.

"People came here for their own reasons. If they want to keep it clean and enjoy it, not just use it for a farm to support Tellus, I think it's a no-brainer." Rick tells her.

"I hope so. If we turn every square foot into a farm, we'll destroy the ecology of this planet." Kate kisses him for having the courage to bring it up to her.

National Forests are largely forest and woodland areas owned collectively by the American people through the federal government and managed by the United States Forest Service, part of the United States Department of Agriculture. Land management of these areas focuses on conservation, timber harvesting, livestock grazing, watershed protection, wildlife, and recreation. Unlike national parks and other federal lands managed by the National Park Service, extraction of natural resources from national forests is permitted, and in many cases encouraged. National Forests are categorized by the World Commission on Protected Areas as IUCN Category VI (Managed Resource Protected Area).


	58. Chapter 58

**CH58**

It was now two months later:

The third cargo ship had just finished unloading all of its cargo and was going to break orbit in 6 hours and go back to Tellus.

There was now construction projects started all over the planet. Temporary housing pods were also all over the place.

The amount of space on the planet that had been cleared for farming had increased immensely. There were fields of plants and trees all over the planet.

Rick's idea for National Forests had been approved by everyone that had voted. No one had voted against it. They were now just a few weeks into a study that would last 3 months to determine what animals went where. After that was completed they would mark off what areas would be free of any modification of any kind.

They already knew a number of these bridges would be needed to allow them to migrate from one area to another.

They had also found out that the Sun Rises had found nothing at their first system they went to looking for another potential colony planet. They were presently en route to the next system.

Rick was presently packing for his own trip. "You sure you want to do this babe?" Kate was reminding him he didn't have to do this. Plus Kate had an ulterior reason to not want him to go.

"Yes I need to go. If it was Tellus where you had lived your whole life, would you not go?" Rick asks while still packing.

Kate remained silent. Rick was right, but that wasn't going to help. Kate was roughly a little over 3 months pregnant now and she was starting to show.

Kate knew from the last pregnancy that she was going to get exceptionally horny in about a month, and Rick was going to be gone for two months.

"I promised I wouldn't go down to the planet." Rick reminds her. Kate had begged him to promise.

"You're going to miss 2 months of watching Emily grow up." Kate played her last card.

"Yea, I know. However even after 2 months she's still going to know who her daddy is. And we all need to know what Earth is up to." Meaning are they still fighting?

Kate kissed him for all she was worth. Putting as much love as she could into it.

Then rick picked up Emily and whispered into her ear and then kissed her, handing her over to Kate.

Rick found Alexis at the main door to the lodge. "You sure about this dad?"

"We all need to know Alexis and not to worry, I'll be back in time for your birthday. My little girl is growing up. You're still my number one girl." Rick hugs her.

"Just remember, you promised dad." Alexis reminds him not to set foot on the planet.

Rick picked up his bag and headed for the shuttle to take him to the Moon Shines.

Kate, still holding Emily, joined Alexis as they watched the shuttle rise. "Why is it I have a bad feeling about this?" Kate whispers out.

Alexis sighs heavily. "Because we both know that if dad thinks it's the right thing to do, he'll break his promise not even remembering he promised in the first place." Alexis tells Kate.

Now Kate sighs heavily. Kate knew Alexis was right. "Please Rick, please." With her head looking at the speck that was the shuttle.

"We still have our ace in the hole mom." Alexis reminds her.

"I hope it's enough." Kate prayed, looking out at all the activity. Their little colony planet was growing up.

Kate went back inside the lodge, walking past a dark monitor. "This better work."

A couple of hours later. "Hi Martha, we haven't seen much of you lately."

"Katherine dear, it's good to see you, and how is little Emily today?" Martha steps up and offers to take Emily.

Kate willingly hands her over. "You missed Rick leaving this morning."

"He went didn't he? …. I should have known. You should have stopped him Katherine. You know he will go down to the planet." Martha warns her.

Kate sighs heavily again. "I know Martha. We made him promise not to but know he'll break it in a second. However Alexis and I have an ace in the hole. She can't physically stop him but she can remind him of his promise. …. Hopefully it'll be enough. Plus she'll tell us if he did break it, so he can't lie when he gets back."

"I knew there was a reason I liked you Katherine. My son is a good man, but sometimes he needs his butt kicked from time to time. You are perfect for him dear. … I'm still amazed it took someone from another planet to fill the hole in his heart.

And you're expanding his family. He's always been a good father." Martha tells Kate while bouncing Emily.

"I've been lucky too Martha. Your son has put my heart back together again. I was pretty sure no one would be able to do that. I was really hurting back then." Kate confides to Martha again.

"Katherine if I can ask? What got you to accept a position in that ship?" Martha had never asked.

"The Horizon? … My mother was dead, I had figured out who had killed her but couldn't track him down. No matter how hard a tried. I was spiraling down a deep dark hole. I spent all my time trying to find him. I went everywhere, turned over every rock.

My father was in the bottom of a bottle. When it was empty he moved to the next one. His heart stopped a number of times after drinking I don't know how much." Kate was forced to stop and wipe away a few tears.

"There was no light anywhere. It was dark everywhere I went. …. Then a man found me. He pulled me up out of my pit of darkness. He taught me to be better. His teachings showed me how to think.

He's the reason I'm a Detective today and earned the right to have a weapon permanently attached to my arm. At the time it was the greatest demonstration of respect anyone could get.

Then one day the Master who had taught me to be a detective died of natural causes. He was the closest person I had to a father at that time. Mine had disappeared on me.

The last time I saw my real father he was almost skin and bones. His skin color was different and he was still somehow drinking.

I was walking around the city having just left my father in the hospital again when I saw something about the next exploration ship had almost finished construction. Next thing I knew I was just outside the building looking in.

Then I saw someone go inside. I only saw him for a moment from behind and then he was gone. I followed him inside trying to find him. There was something about him; he made my heart flip like it never had before.

Next thing I knew I had signed onto the ship for the next 3 years. Over a year out, a few months when we got there and then back again.

I never saw him again after I went in thru that door. No one inside had seen him. I was the only detective to volunteer for the flight.

Martha I need you to promise what I'm about to say stays between us. Rick doesn't need to hear this." Kate looks at Martha with concern.

"Katherine dear, there are things that I think don't need to be a secret. However I do know how to keep a secret that needs to be kept a secret." It's the most Martha can offer.

Kate thinks about her answer and makes a choice. "My first night after we left orbit I had a dream that had a man in it." Kate pauses.

Martha smiles, she can remember when she was Kate's age, she had the same kind of dreams.

"It took me a long time to work out that it might be the man I saw enter the building who I followed and ended up on the Horizon. The ship he wasn't actually on, physically anyway." Kate pauses again.

Martha smiles, but doesn't understand why this should be such a big secret.

"He was in my dreams almost nightly, constantly. Ship life wasn't what I was expecting and being cooped up in a small ship for a year was proving to be a challenge, even for me after all my training.

However he was in my dreams and having him helped keep me sane. There were single men on board who tried to get my attention, but I had the man in my dreams so I ignored them.

Then I was forced to abandon my ship due to sabotage just before it exploded. I crashed on your planet and was found by Rick and Alexis." Kate pauses again.

"They were out camping when they saw you crash." Martha remembers.

Kate nods her head. "When I woke up it felt like a dream. Your son and daughter did things and helped me a lot. I couldn't help but fall in love with both of them. They both have such big hearts.

I was still hurting after all this time still. Mom was gone, dad was gone, my teacher was gone, my ship and ride home was gone and the man who killed my mother was on my ship right under my nose.

Your son and daughter healed my heart and taught me how to fill it with their love. All I had to do was let them into it.

I love both of them more than I thought was possible. I live with the fear that I'll lose them someday and sometimes thinking about it can be overwhelming. Then Rick or Alexis will do something and that fear disappears.

Then Rick gave me Emily and now I have a piece of him and it fills my heart even more and scares me even more. Now there is a second one on the way and everything is doubled." Kate runs her hand over her stomach.

Martha smiles. "I'll let you in on a little secret Katherine. Being a mother is the most amazing thing in the world. You love your child instantly. The second you found out you were pregnant you were in love. Then they place this little thing in your arms and your world changes.

You worried about the baby being healthy. Then you worried about how you were going to raise this baby. Then you worry about every little thing. The food they eat, their first day away from you, the first day they get sick, and their first date, the first time they bring home that special someone for them to meet you.

It never ends Katherine. That is motherhood. The first time they call you mommy, the first time they scrape their knee and come to you crying and want you to fix it. They start crawling, start walking, start telling you 'I love you mom'.

The fears that you have all fade away. It's those moments that you remember for the rest of your life.

Even now Richard can scare me with what he does, and at the same time I see the man he has grown into. Found the perfect woman to love him, give me more grandchildren to spoil. Surprise me with the choices he makes, good and bad.

The secret that you are just learning, the fear can ruin you if you let it. If you let the love your family offers you lead you in your life, the better that life will be.

Love them and let them love you and you'll be amazed how meaningless the fears you have really are.

Maybe you don't believe me, but let me ask a question. You love Alexis, do you love Emily more because you gave birth to her?" Martha asks.

"Of course not. … Though there is a difference between them." Kate worries about that.

"That Katherine is because you love Alexis for who she is now, and you love Emily for who she will be. The love is the same; the reason for the love is what makes it different. Some day far in the future, you will love all your children the same and for the same reason.

Have you and Richard had a fight yet?" Martha has another point she wants to make.

"We've had little ones, but nothing big." Kate answers praying they never do have a big one.

"Hopefully you will never have a big one, but even if you do the love will still be there. It'll just have this blanket of a fight covering it. Pick up one corner of that blanket and the love under it will sweep it away in a heartbeat. …. You just have to being willing and have the courage to pick up that corner." Martha tells her.

Kate moves over to hug Martha. "Thanks Martha, maybe I needed some motherly understanding."

"I may not be your mother Katherine, but I'll be happy to help you anytime for anything. It's what mothers are for. Someday you'll find that out when yours are older." Martha hugs her back. Happy that she could help and happy that her son and grandchildren had Kate.

Rick was getting a better understanding of what ship life was like. He didn't like it much. Rick didn't understand how Kate had put up with living in a sardine can for over a year. Plus another year to get back home. Rick had a new appreciation for how strong Kate was.

Detective Sorenson had escorted him to the bridge where Captain Zhukov was waiting for him. Rick knew they were in the system since he had heard the announcement about reverting to normal space a few days ago.

"Castle, good of you to join us. We've been in orbit of your planet's natural moon for the last 12 hours, listening to various broadcasts from Earth. Please give Castle a synopsis of what we have learned in that time, then we can decide where to go after that." Captain Zhukov orders.

"From the records provided by the Sun Rises before they broke orbit, there were 7 nuclear detonations. All of them save for one appeared to be in a large population area. Our scans of the area show that they were all relatively small.

If the information you provided about the possible kilo ton yields is accurate, they were all in the 1 to 2 kilo ton range.

The actual damage to each city appears to have been limited to a small area. However there is a large area around each city that shows increased radiation levels. Some of your news broadcasts have talked about the radiation going down wind and causing damage." The tech pauses.

"Can you show me the wind patterns of where it blew to?" Rick asks.

"Main screen on." Zhukov orders.

The tech steps to the mist with a controller in hand.

"There were two explosions on this island here." And those two points start blinking. "The prevailing wind patterns at that time took the radiation this way." And an area is highlighted taking onto the China mainland.

"There were four at these locations." And those four locations start blinking. "The prevailing wind patterns at that time took the radiation this way." And areas are highlighted taking it deeper into the China mainland.

"The final one took place here." And that area starts blinking. "The prevailing wind patterns at that time took the radiation this way." An area is highlighted out into the Yellow Sea and into China.

Rick felt a little better about the size of the damage. "Anything on the news casts?"

"A place called Russia has completed its invasion of a place called Ukraine.

A place called Israel has surrounded a city called Cairo while taking control of something called Suez Canal.

A place called United States has invaded and taken a place called North Korea. There was a lot of talk about a short conflict on the border of North Korea and a place called China.

Planet wide that appears to be all there is." Zhukov tells Rick.

"Is there a chance of my going down to the planet for a more personal view of what is happening?" Rick asks.

"Records indicate that the shuttle that got you off the planet was chased by your military. Given the unrest and the only aircraft in the air at present is all military, it is likely any shuttle would be intercepted.

Unless you want to stay down there permanently, alive or dead, then no. Besides I'm not ordering any of my shuttle pilots into hostile air space." Zhukov tells Rick.

"It would be nice to see what is going on with my own eyes. I grew up down there. Thanks Captain, let me know when you have any more information." And Rick leaves the bridge.

After Rick is gone. "That was close Lucy." Zhukov talks to empty space.

"Alexis for a 12 almost 13 year old is smart for her age. I'm glad I didn't have to say anything using Kate's voice, that would have been painful for me.

It must be difficult to watch your home blow itself to pieces and what isn't destroyed withers on the vine and die a slow death." Lucy comments.

"I wonder if this will help bind the people together or split them further apart. In any case it is likely to be generations before this planet develops an FTL drive and head our direction. Space is pretty big." Zhukov mentions.


	59. Chapter 59

**CH59**

Rick was summoned to the bridge just before Zhukov was ready to break orbit.

"Captain?" Rick responds to being summoned.

"I thought you would like to know before we leave. We found that the world economy has all but collapsed. Seems most everything was made in China and China has suspended trade as a result of the fighting.

A place called United States has started reconstruction of their lost oil refineries, all EPA guidelines concerning them have been suspended. Movement on your planet appears to be minimal.

Here is the list of items that your news broadcasts have been talking about." Zhukov hands him a tablet.

**Businesses and individuals that have contracts, businesses, and jobs with the government, social security and Medicare recipients, the military, state and local governments [could miss on-time payments]. The government has obligations of hundreds of billions of dollars each month, and individuals and businesses around the country rely on these payments.**

**Most large financial institutions (banks, insurance companies, pension funds) would be forced to replace investments in AAA securities (basically treasuries), and replace that collateral with equivalents. These institutions would have to liquidate trillions in holdings because of lack of compliance, creating massive worldwide instability.**

**U.S. towns and cities have been forced into bankruptcy.**

**Pensions have been severely impacted with the U.S. dollar no longer being worth a dollar.**

**A choking rise in interest rates and dwindling U.S. government services.**

**Higher taxes in the U.S.**

**Longer-term high unemployment in the U.S.**

**The U.S. Government has declared bankruptcy, resulting in an extremely angry, confused, and frustrated populace that has little faith in its leaders — combined with a horrific economy and a reduced ability of the government to keep order. Under those circumstances, widespread rioting and violent crime has increased substantially.**

**Payments from the government has stopped altogether.**

**There has been a dramatically reduced standard of living.**

Rick had finished reading what was on the tablet. It struck him that Kate had been right. If he had gone down there he wouldn't have liked what he saw. No doubt every military is on high alert waiting for someone to do something stupid.

He would have been leaving his family behind. He owed Kate a very big apology and he had roughly a month to figure out what that was going to be.

"Captain before we go can you do me a favor. … Kate when she was here had opened a business and had hired a number of employees. Can you see if you can access where they are now. If you can find them I want you to access my bank accounts and have everything transferred to them.

I'm not going to need it and they probably can." Rick asks of him.

"Soznot?" Zhukov calls out.

"Yes sir accessing records for their names. ….. Accessing Castle's bank account. …. Evenly distributing the amount between them.

For the record Pamela is presently employed by the CIA. Kevin, Javi and Rosalyn are employed by the NYPD. Lanie is employed by a hospital. All the others are presently unemployed. And all of her clients appear to be closed." Rick is informed.

"Thanks Captain, for everything." Rick tells him and turns to leave.

"Navigation set a course for Ariel. Helm break orbit when you have a course. Best speed to the edge of the system to engage the drive." Zhukov orders as Rick is leaving. Zhukov was like Roy, he wanted to get as far away from this planet as possible.

The day after Rick was gone Alexis never left Kate's side. Alexis didn't need to be out there every day anymore. The people she had been teaching had gotten to be good enough to not need her constantly.

And after they planted the first row of apple trees or orange trees or pineapple plants, they didn't need Alexis again to finish all the other rows. It was going to take years to get any fruit from them.

"What do you think dad is doing mom?" Alexis asks roughly a month after he is gone.

"They are likely only just getting into orbit about now. … Alexis?" Kate used her name and looked at her with tears.

Alexis moved over and ended up in Kate's arms. "This better work Alexis." Kate's tears are starting and she can't stop them. "If Rick does something stupid even with Lucy there. …. I don't know what I'm going to do." Kate sniffled and wiped her tears away. "Stupid hormones!"

Kate was embarrassed. She was pregnant and crying in her daughter's arms. An adult woman clinging to a 13 year old child.

"Lucy knows what to do mom. She'll bring dad home." Alexis had a least a little faith. Alexis had spent enough time with Lucy trying to help her understand her dad. It had to work.

Then two people came running into the lodge. They spotted Alexis in Kate's arms and walked up to them. They had questions, well actually one question, just wanted to ask it more than once.

"Alexis one of our teams found something and theirs a number of them, we're hoping you know what they are." One of them tells Alexis.

Kate lets go of Alexis so she can look. "This is the first one." And he hands over something round and mushy looking.

Alexis peels off the thick outer skin which gets her fingers stained black. Underneath is a hard wrinkled shell. "It's a walnut!" Alexis knew what it was. Looking for something heavy to use she cracks it open and pulls out a piece and tastes it. It was ripe.

"Was it on the ground or still on the tree?" Alexis asks.

"All of the ones we brought we found on the ground around several trees. The trees were loaded with them." Is the answer she gets back.

"You can eat them raw or add them to food to change the taste. Here, try." And Alexis hands out the pieces that are left.

"Another team found these plants and pulled a few out of the ground. They found these attached to the roots in the ground." He hands over the plant.

Alexis takes the plant and takes the items off the roots. "Peanuts!" And easily cracks it open and eats the contents. "Yup peanuts. … You can eat them raw, roast them or add them to food. You've seen these mom. Remember the Chinese food Grams had waiting for us when we got home?" Alexis hands one over to her.

Kate takes it and cracks it open. "Yea I remember these. Chinese food is really good." Kate pops them in her mouth.

Alexis turns to look at Kate. "MOM?"

"Go on sweetie, I'm fine. You have a planet to feed and I have a baby to feed." Kate places a hand over her swollen belly. "Ok make that two babies. …. But if you father thinks I'm having a third he's in big trouble." Kate grins at Alexis.

Alexis does her best to hug Kate, which isn't easy. "I love you mom."

Kate does her best to hug her back. "I love you to Alexis. Now get going, you have work to do." Kate urges Alexis on.

Alexis was shown where they got both and they started making arrangements to make fields of them. If this was where they grew naturally then it made sense to have the fields here.

While Alexis was there she found two more things, Hazel nut trees and wild blackberry brambles. "Blackberry pies, blackberry jam. These things are great! A little painful to collect and not ripe yet, but their great." Alexis tells them.

"We thought they were one of those weeds you told us about."

"Well, they can get out of control if you're not careful, but they are so worth it." Alexis works at picking some to test how ripe they are. "OWE! …. Blasted thorns!" Alexis sticks her finger in her mouth.

Alexis tries the berries next and makes a face. "Yup not ripe yet. Maybe two or three months still."

"Do we plant these into a farm row also?"

"The problem with that idea is that they will grow over each other trying to get sunshine. Eventually they will get as tall as the lodge, making it impossible to pick the berries. It would be best if we treated them the same way we do the wine grapes." Alexis advises.

"Oooohhh, well we can do that easy. Row after row, simple."

They were back in the shuttle getting ready to leave having made their notes about what they found and what to do here. "Has anyone been here yet?" Alexis points to an area on the monitor.

"I heard one of the shuttles did a quick fly by, they were looking for farm land. However the area looked too dry to plant anything. It was just a lot of wild grasses. They didn't stay and no one has been back since."

"Wild grasses. … Wild grasses. …. There is something from school. Something to do with Indians I think.

Can you take us there?" Alexis asks.

"Sure, let me advise someone of our course correction so they know where we are going."

A few minutes later they are off the ground and traveling to that area. Alexis has gone into the back to sit down and turn on her 'seat belt'.

It took them almost an hour to travel that distance. "We're coming up on the site now. We're at 6,000 feet getting ready for our descent into the area." Come over the speaker.

Alexis gets up to stand behind the two pilots. As they got lower. "Why is that dark spot moving?" One of them asks.

It was localized and seemed to be changing shape as it moved. "Grasses, Indians." Alexis whispers to herself. "Wild West and Wild Bill." Alexis is still whispering.

"Take us lower, I think I know." Alexis tells them.

As they got lower they could make out that the blob was actually individual animals. Moving and grazing on the grasses.

Now down to 500 feet they could all tell they were big hairy animals that probably weighed a lot.

"It is!" Alexis was amazed. "They're Buffalo. …. We almost hunted them to extinction on Earth. There used to be millions of them. Huge giant herds roaming the plains. It was the primary food source for the native Indians of that area, long ago.

The bison provided meat, leather, sinew for bows, grease, dried dung for fires, and even the hooves could be boiled for glue.

You can still get Buffalo meat even today, though it is very expensive. The meat is pretty good I'm told, since I don't think I've ever had any. Dad might have, I can ask him when he gets back." Alexis tells them.

"Lucy better make him come back." Alexis adds softly to herself.

"So we would need a hunting team if we wanted some?"

"If we can figure out how many there are we can figure out how many we can kill for food without doing damage to them." Alexis tells them.

"If there are buffalo, I wonder if there is something else? …. Can you take us south from here to say around here?" Alexis points to an area on the monitor.

"Sure, let me inform someone of our intent so they know where we are."

Alexis goes back and sits down and activates her seat belt again.

It didn't take as long to reach the next area Alexis wanted to see.

"We've arrived at the site. Presently descending from 2,000 get to just under 500." Comes over the speaker.

Alexis gets up to stand behind the pilots again so she can see out.

"We need to start back soon so we can land and let the system recharge." One of the pilots mentions.

"I'm not seeing what I was hoping to see, however we haven't been here long." Alexis tells them.

"What are we looking for?"

"They're called Longhorn Cattle. A few hundred pounds with enormous horns jutting out from their heads on each side. They are very docile and with a little work you can ride them. …. But I don't see any so maybe not." Alexis explains.

Alexis goes into the back to sit down for the ride home.

Alexis immediately sought out Kate as soon as she got back. "Hi mom." Finding Kate just putting Emily down for a nap before dinner.

"Alexis sweetie, how was your trip?" Kate wondered what kept her.

"It was great. We found walnuts, blackberries and buffalo." Alexis tells her.

Kate had seen and taste tested the walnuts they came back with and knew what blackberries were, since Rick had used them at their home in New York. However she had no idea what a buffalo was.

Alexis tried to explain but without Lucy to show pictures it proved to be difficult.

"Alexis sweetie have a seat, there is something I want to talk to you about. ….. While you were gone the Sun Rises came back and stopped before heading back to Tellus.

They found another possible colony planet. Captain Montgomery thinks they are going to ask us to set up another colony planet. He wanted to have us talk about moving there until it was set up to a point like this one.

Then we would have a choice, either stay there or move back here." Kate tells her.

"Did they say anything about the planet?" Alexis would want to see it before she could say anything. Knowing she would go where Kate and her dad went anyway.

"Captain Montgomery left us a tablet filled with what they found." Kate picks it up and hands it over to Alexis.

"It's a water planet with only one land mass and it's actually a moon just like this one. Only problem is it's a little further out from Tellus so travel time is longer. However because of Ariel we now have cargo ships, so supplies would be bigger and they could keep the same once a month time line." Kate explains.

Kate remains silent and let's Alexis read and look at the pictures and data charts.

Alexis was done a little while later, since she could read pretty fast like her dad could. "That is a lot of water mom. The single land mass is about the size of Australia." Alexis looks like she is thinking. "Where would we live if we moved? On the land?"

"Is there an alternative?" Kate didn't think they had a choice.

"I wish we had Lucy, maybe I could show you. Problem is I don't think I downloaded anything about how to make them. We need to make a trip to Earth to download a lot of things that deal with oceans. How to build cruise ships, fish factories, house boats, floating homes, jet skis, submarines, lots of things.

I think I even saw a program one time that talked about a floating city that was built using a modular system. It would be nice to find that too.

Are we moving mom?" Alexis knows it's not her choice.

"They haven't actually asked us, and we need to wait for your father to get home. Plus I don't want to go anywhere until the baby is born.

Are you interested in moving Alexis? Starting still another big project. There still aren't any children here your age yet. However there could be soon. You could make new friends faster if we stay. Plus the first school will probably break ground soon. We wouldn't have to rely on Lucy all the time." Kate wanted Alexis to get back to a more normal life. Leaving Earth had been a very big change for her.

"I'm fine mom, honest. You needed my skill here." Alexis knew the colony wouldn't be doing as good as it is without her.

"Alexis sweetie, you know I love you, and I'm proud of what you have done here or could do there. But don't you miss having sleep overs with your friend Paige. Making new friends at school? Going to your summer home to get away from all of this?" Kate sweeps her arms.

Alexis suddenly did look sad. "I do miss Paige. It would be nice to see her and have fun with her.

However mom, going to this new water planet would be just like going to the summer home to get away from all this." Alexis mimics Kate's arm wave. "When we finally have two big cities it will be good to have a summer home to get away from it all." Alexis still liked getting away from it all. Off the grid sort of.

"Mom? …. Could we have our island home and a place to go to on this water planet if we go there?" Alexis is thinking the water planet could be there summer home.

"I don't know Alexis. I guess we will have a lot of questions if or when they ask us. Maybe when Lucy gets back we can ask her our questions." Kate tells her. Rick wasn't due back for another month yet and Captain Montgomery wouldn't be back for another month after that. So they had time to talk as a family.

"Alexis sweetie what do you have on the flash drive that would help us?" Kate didn't know everything she had.

Alexis thinks about it. "Not much really. Hydro-power, desalinization, which will convert salt water into drinking water. Problem is it is power hungry. Fishing boats, not much more than that for water.

We really need to go back to Earth and download stuff mom. What is there could help a lot. Just convert the power systems to what we have now, like someone did for the quads." Alexis knows they need information.

"We need Lucy then. I guess we wait. Think about what we need Alexis and make a list. When she gets back we'll see what we can do." Kate tells her, then checks on a sleeping Emily.

Alexis had no intention of leaving Kate alone so she went with her to look in on Emily.

It was one month later:

The Moon Shines entered orbit of Ariel and found a cargo ship already in orbit sending shuttles down with more cargo and a few people

Alexis was standing just outside the main doors to the lodge as she watched a pair of shuttles land in the distance where one of the two cities was under construction. There was a lot of construction all over. Plus people were planting trees and bushes all over the planet.

The temporary housing for all the workers was making the place a mess, but they would be gone eventually.

Also one of the many bridges necessary for wildlife migration was also under construction. They still needed some time to work out the migration patterns however this one was obvious.

Alexis's greenhouses were working hard to keep up with the food requirements of all the workers and colonists.

Alexis was looking it all over when she watched another shuttle descending. This one however was headed for the landing zone for the lodge. Alexis watched it land and the side door opened and out came two men.

Alexis recognized both of them and took off running for all she was worth. Alexis slammed into Rick as hard as she could practically knocking him to the ground. "DAD!"

"Hi pumpkin, it's good to see you. I missed you." Rick wraps his arms around her and holds her tight.

Rick just spends a moment breathing her in, glad to have her in his arms again. "Where's your mother?"

Alexis grins again. Her father had referred to Kate as mom again. Meredith had been long forgotten by both of them.

"She's inside feeding Emily. Emily has started trying to stand dad!" Alexis was excited. It meant her sister might be walking soon.

"Really! … Well lets go see shall we?" Rick takes her hand and walks with her into the lodge.

Rick and Alexis say nothing while they approached Kate who had her back to them while she was feeding Emily her baby food instead of breast feeding.

Rick snuck up behind Kate and put his hands over her eyes. "Guess who?"

Rick woke up with Dr. Harrison hovering over him. "He'll be fine. There doesn't appear to be any permanent damage. He'll have a few aches and pains but nothing more."

Rick groans and starts to get up, but all it does is bring more pain.

"You should stay down for a little while Castle." Dr. Harrison warns him.

Rick plops back down. "What happened?"

"My husband got stupid on me! That's what happened. He decided to sneak up on his PREGNANT wife who was busy feeding their child. A wife who is a detective who is trained to take out men twice his size, just like he already knows about. …. THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED!" Kate yells at him.

Kate leaves them carrying Emily and exits the lodge crying and doesn't stop until she reaches one of the many greenhouses.

"That was really stupid dad, really stupid." Alexis piles on and runs off after Kate worried about her.

Dr. Harrison leaves him since he wasn't needed anymore. This leaves Captain Zhukov.

"I'm glad I'm not you Castle. First you try to get yourself killed by thinking about going down to Earth, then you come home and sneak up on a detective. Someone who could take down half my crew before I could stop her.

So did she knock some brain cells in or did she knock them out?" Zhukov asks and leaves him for his shuttle.


	60. Chapter 60

**CH60**

Word of caution, there is a really big list at the bottom. I kind of got carried away a little. Read all of it or scroll thru it and ignore it. Your choice.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It took a little time but Alexis found Kate in one of the greenhouses. "You ok mom?"

Kate was mostly cried out by now. "Yes, … No, …. I don't know. …. I didn't mean to, it just happened and it's just my luck it's Rick on the receiving end.

Sometimes your father can really piss me off. Then he turns around and does something incredibly sweet that reminds me why I love him.

I don't know how you put up with him all these years." Kate looks at Alexis looking for an explanation.

"Dad is a handful. He tries so hard to find fun in everything he does. Most times it's funny, others not so much. He believes in Santa Claus and takes great fun out of birthdays and Christmas.

Then he writes about crime and murders and the cops getting into danger trying to solve it. Not really meant for kids. And he knows how to make life fun when you are young.

Dad has been great, more than anything. He's been my best friend and I tell him everything and he always tells me the truth when I ask a question.

He's sorry mom. It was just one of his surprises he loves so much." Alexis explains.

"Great, I hate surprises and I'm married to a man who loves them. … I'm doomed." Kate lowers her head.

"I don't think you have to worry about surprises from dad for a while now. His bruises will remind him." Alexis giggles.

"I'm going to go find dad. You sure you're ok mom?" Alexis asks again before leaving.

"I'm fine Alexis, thanks. I'll be in soon." Kate wanted to cool off some more.

Alexis made a side trip first before going into the lodge to find Rick. "You're going to need to apologize to mom, dad. And I have just the thing for you." Alexis hands it over to her dad.

Rick takes it and opens it. "The first batch is ready? Already?" Rick thinks he just might live after this.

"We've got a lot already. We are not making enough to match Nestles or anything, but we have the next batch already cooking." Alexis tells him.

"Thanks pumpkin, I don't know what I'd do without you." Rick groans as he moves to kiss her forehead.

"I have a list to make dad. Good luck." Alexis kisses him back and heads off to the barn to use the computer to make her list.

Kate eventually had to put Emily down for a nap after she had been fed.

Rick watched Kate come inside and put Emily down for a nap. Allowing Rick to come up to Kate. "I'm sorry Kate. It was meant to be a surprise, a little bit of fun." Rick talks mostly to the floor.

"I hate surprises Rick. I thought you would know that by now." Kate was still mad and a little scared.

"I do know, but it was an instantaneous action. I wasn't thinking. … But I have a peace offering." Rick offers up what Alexis gave him.

The two of them had meant for it to be a surprise for Kate and the others, so they had kept it to themselves.

Rick opened it to expose what was inside it. Kate immediately squealed and snatched it out of his hand.

Kate ran it under her nose and inhaled deeply. "Hhhmmm, CHOCOLATE!" Kate nibbles off her first bite and turned into a puddle on the floor.

By the time she was done, Kate was calm and in heaven. "We have chocolate?" Kate looks at Rick loving him again.

"Alexis found the beans near the sugar cane. Our first batch just finished. The second is already cooking. We thought we would surprise you with it. …. Hopefully you like this surprise?" Rick prays she's not still mad.

Kate looks at Rick and makes up her mind and grabs his hand and walks him over to one of the monitors. "Lucy do you know where Alexis is?"

Lucy puts Alexis up on the monitor since she was in the barn making her list. "You look happy again mom." Alexis can see Kate's face is soft and she was smiling.

"Can you watch Emily for me for a little while?" Kate had plans.

"Sure mom, I'll be right there." And Alexis disappears off the monitor. And soon shows up at the door to the lodge.

"Thanks sweetie, We'll be gone about an hour and a half." And Kate drags Rick to one of the now many shuttles that were available. Choosing one that didn't have a little flag out front.

The second the door closed Kate started stripping Rick of his clothes.

A little over an hour later. "I've missed you Rick. I thought two weeks was bad. But two months! You are never doing that again, ever." Kate tells him with her arms holding onto him as best she could being almost 6 months pregnant now.

"I think I like possessive Kate." Rick chuckles. Earning Rick a light swat to his chest.

"Is the deal still on?" Kate asks.

"If it's a girl you get to name her and if it's a boy I get to name him?" Rick questions thinking he knows what she means.

"Do we want to find out now?" Kate asks, since they didn't have the capability last time.

"I liked being surprised last time. You?" Rick knows she hates surprises.

"So long as Dr. Harrison can tell us the baby is healthy I can take being surprised again." Kate whispers.

Kate was enjoying the cuddling, maybe tonight they could do some more. Kate wanted to feel him next to her since she had done without for 2 months.

"We should go back to the lodge. We have something to discuss as a family. We are going to need Martha too." Kate tells him.

"Must be big. Something come up while I was gone?" Rick asks.

"The Sun Rises came back with something we need to discuss." Kate didn't want to but she got up and started putting her clothes back on.

Martha was in the lodge getting a glass of locally made wine and a snack. "Martha can you join us we have something we need to talk about." Kate asks of her.

"Since you are glowing Katherine it must be big." Martha teases. Getting Kate to blush. There is just something about you husband's mother noticing you just had sex with her son.

"The Sun Rises came back from a search of another system for a possible colony planet. They found another moon around a gas giant, just like this one. However this one is almost all water." Kate tells them.

"It's all salt water with a single land mass about the size of Australia." Alexis adds having read the tablet.

"And this affects us how?" Rick asks.

"Captain Montgomery thinks they will ask us to establish that colony just like we did this one." Kate tells them.

"Move again?" Rick isn't sure about this.

"The Sun Rises is going to be spending a month to get to Tellus, a few weeks for them to decide what to do and then a month back to here. If they intend to ask us. …. And if we do I don't want it to happen until after the baby is here. I want the medical we have here now." Kate tells them.

"So where do we live? In Australia?" Rick asks.

"That brings up another item. Alexis thinks we should send a ship back to Earth to download everything we can find on anything that has to do with Oceans." Kate explains.

"I just got back from their Kate. And it was not pretty. I brought a tablet for you three to read about what we found." Rick tells them.

"We need to go back dad. Tellus may be more advanced than Earth, but they don't have oceans so they don't know anything about what to do on a planet that is all water." Alexis explains.

"Is Tellus going to let us steal from our old home?" Rick asks.

"I guess we'll find out in a couple of months." Kate comments.

"That still leaves where we live." Rick adds.

"I'm guessing the land mass. Do there what we did here. Only the first city being built will be building ships, boats and something called submarines." Kate tells them. "How is the list coming Alexis?"

"I've got a number of things to add still, but I'm thinking it would be best if I went with the ship to get the information. Lucy may find something or I think of something after we get there." Alexis tells them.

"Alone pumpkin? I don't think so." Rick doesn't like this idea.

"Mom, why have you stopped calling me pumpkin?" Alexis liked being called her name but kind of missed being called her other name.

Kate hugs her. "Because you are growing up Alexis. You deserve a grown up name." Kate tells her squeezing.

"You're amazing Katherine. As scary as it may have been, I'm glad you crashed into their campsite. Someone must be guiding your movement to have you come to this family." It's as close as Martha has come so far to tell Kate she loves her.

Kate blinks back tears. "Thanks Martha." Kate adds 'stupid hormones' silently.

"I was thinking if we do this, our island home can be built while we are gone and when we are done there we come home to here. Also before we leave it might be good to learn how to pilot a shuttle so we can get around easier." Kate offers.

"I get to fly a shuttle? Out in space?" Kate just convinced Rick to go.

"Could we have a boat as a summer home, mom?" Alexis was excited about the idea. A mobile home that could cruise around the entire planet sounded exciting.

"I suppose so, we could ask. They gave us an island for this colony." Kate had just convinced Alexis.

"You've been quiet Martha." Kate noticed.

"What you three have been doing and thinking about doing is a game for the young. New York was a good city and I miss it. But this place is going to be amazing when it is done. Plus I have a new audience here. …. I'm an actress again.

You three should go create the new worlds and cities. I'll just live in them." Martha tells them.

"We don't want to leave you alone Martha. I don't know how long it would be before we could come back here." Kate didn't like leaving her behind alone.

"I'm not alone Katherine. I've got my audience and my students. It's more fun here than it ever was in New York." Martha loved what she was doing. She was being useful and it felt like being young again.

Kate was convinced. "You sure about this Alexis, your father can go with you." Kate is worried about her.

"You, dad and the others need to set up where we will be living while I get the information we need. Besides I can take Lucy with me, she can keep me company. … Right Lucy?" Alexis yells over her shoulder.

"Alexis will be perfectly safe Kate and Richard. I will look after her." Lucy answers back loud enough for them to hear.

"Are we going to do this or stay here?" Kate asks.

"Like you need to ask?" Rick tells her.

"We need that list Alexis, in case they ask us." Kate tells her.

"YES! Build us a summer home on another planet. How cool is that!" Alexis hoped up and hugged and kissed Kate.

Alexis moves over to Rick. "More chocolate dad?" Alexis whispers.

"That is an excellent idea pumpkin." Rick whispers back.

**THE LIST: **(Use your judgement as to what to read. It is a big list).

Noah's Ark City would look like the rice terrace fields found in Philippines and China. Their innovative water world would support life on terraced fields, grow food, collect rainwater, generate its own power and is engineered to withstand all forms of water-based disasters.

The neon-streaked hexagons forming the building blocks of X SEAT TY resemble a colossal stackable beehive, with units that can be assembled to size specification. The buildings owe their green pigment to a covering of organic algae rooted into porous concrete, a potential producer of biofuel which will help to reduce pollution.

Inspired by biomimicry, architect Vincent Callebaut created a city that relies on the buoyancy and movement of the humble lily pad to stay afloat. Harnessing the power of the surrounding elements, it is envisioned the city will use tidal, wind, solar and biomass to generate electricity.

**MS**_**Allure of the Seas, **_The 225,282-ton, 5,400-passenger Allure of the Seas is the world's largest cruise ship.

A factory ship, also known as a fish processing vessel, is a large ocean-going vessel with extensive on-board facilities for processing and freezing caught fish or whales. The Lafayette, measures 228 meters long by 32 meters wide.

Lovers Deep is a luxury submarine offered by Oliver's Travels for couples to go on a romantic getaway, deep in the ocean, and perhaps join what they're coining as the "Mile Low Club" (an undersea alternative to the Mile High Club that so many have participated in on airplanes). Each watercraft in the various packages that are offered is a minimum of 40 feet long and provides a number of amenities and perks, one of which includes the option of where to dock or dive the mobile vessel.

The Sea-Doo RXT-X aS 260 comes equipped with a fully adjustable suspension, so you can truly customize your aggressive ride. This muscular watercraft delivers size, speed, strength, and stability in the roughest conditions, and thanks to its exclusive S3 Hull you will stay glued to the water, making for even more precise handling.

**Coastal erosion** is the wearing away of land and the removal of beach or dune sediments by wave action, tidal currents, wave currents or drainage.

**Super Air Nautique G25 with wave system.**

Coral reefs are some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world, housing tens of thousands of marine species. About one-third of all marine fish species live part of their lives on coral reefs.

A **hydrothermal vent** is a fissure in a planet's surface from which geothermally heated water issues.

**Geothermal electricity** is electricity generated from geothermal energy. Technologies in use include dry steam power plants, flash steam power plants and binary cycle power plan.

Hurricane proof building, storm surge considerations, wind loading considerations, building components.

A **monolithic dome** (from Greek mono- and -lithic, meaning "one stone") is a structure cast in a one-piece form. The form may be permanent or temporary and may or may not remain part of the finished structure.

Luxury Sailing yacht. The three-masted schooner and iconic yacht _Maltese Falcon_ is the second largest sailing yacht after _Sea Cloud_. Her pioneering Falcon Rig comprises three unstayed carbon-fibre masts whose carbon-fibre yards are fixed to the rotating masts. The 2,396 square metre sails are stored within the mast and set by extending outwards along the yards using automated controls. (The new Castle summer home, Alexis is hoping. It said it took six years to build and had a crew of 16. Maybe it was just a little too big?)

ANDROMEDA LA DEA is ideal for those who enjoy the epitome in luxury, style and uncompromised sailing performance. This spectacular sailing yacht is fully certified for unlimited worldwide ocean cruising. She accommodates up to 9 guests with 9 crew for unrivaled service. Highlights and Toys: 17' and 14' Tenders, water skis, towable toys, sailing dinghy, fishing gear, Jacuzzi on deck, remote controlled underwater camera with 180' cable, satellite TV, playstation, Xbox, Wifi, Sat phone and more. (9 crew? Mom, dad, herself, Emily, baby, 3rd baby, friends? Plus it wouldn't take six years to build it, and it looked pretty in the pictures. Maybe she could convince mom and dad on this one.)

Ocean Park Hong Kong, commonly known as Ocean Park, is a marine mammal park, oceanarium, and animal theme park, situated in Wong Chuk Hang and Nam Long Shan in the Southern District of Hong Kong. Founded in 1977 by the then Governor of Hong Kong Sir Murray MacLehose, Ocean Park has now grown to about 35 attractions and rides.

Ocean Power Technologies wave park which will generate power from waves, tides or currents in ocean waters.

Roosevelt Island Tidal Energy (RITE) Project, a planned array of thirty, 35-kilowatt (kW) commercial class tidal energy turbines - for a total of 1,050 kW, or about 1 megawatt of total capacity.

Low-velocity tidal power - Resembling an underwater kite and comprised of a carbon-fibre wing with a turbine slung underneath rather like a gondola, the so-called Deep Green device is secured to the seabed with a tether and moves in a figure of eight-shaped path in the tidal or ocean current.

Tidal power Station - The tidal barrage makes use of a seawall for flood mitigation and agricultural purposes. Ten 25.4 MW submerged bulb turbines are driven in an unpumped flood generation scheme; power is generated on tidal inflows only and the outflow is sluiced away. This slightly unconventional and relatively inefficient approach has been chosen to balance a complex mix of existing land use, water use, conservation, environmental and power generation considerations.

SurgeWEC, which can not only create energy from waves, but also transport seawater to a desalination plant. The 2- to 3-meter device itself is like a paddle with a buoyancy tube that is mounted to the seabed. It moves back in forth with the waves, which creates energy or can pressurize seawater, and then electricity and/or seawater moves to shore. Since the system is deployed close to shore, it can also lower energy transmission costs.

Waver Harvesting - a barge with several wave harvesters — basically large bobs hanging off the side of the boat — heads out to sea. At a certain distance from shore, it drops anchor, lowers its harvesters, and sits still for a while. The bobs rise and fall with every passing wave, while the barge acts as a (relatively) stationary reference point. It is that relative motion that creates the electricity; and instead of sending it along an expensive transmission line, the electricity is stored on board the boat in large battery systems.

After 20 hours at sea, the barge heads back to the dock with fully charged batteries and plugs into a device known as an inverter — this converts the stored direct current electricity into alternating current, which is what the power grid needs. Because the power is stored in the batteries, it can be sent to the grid whenever demand is highest, say in the evening when people come home from work and switch appliances and televisions on.

Plasma nanoscience involves the use of plasma – an ionised gas at temperatures from just a few to tens of thousands Kelvin – as a tool to create and process very small (nano) materials for use in energy conversion, electronics, IT, health care, and numerous other applications that are critical for a sustainable future.

"seafloor carpet" to harvest underwater hydrokinetics. The system uses a thin sheet of material (rubber for now, elastic polymer eventually) on top of hydraulic actuators, cylinders, and tubes; as the "carpet" moves up and down it creates hydraulic pressure that is converted to power.

Palm Islands - The two islands will comprise approximately 100,000 cubic metres (3,500,000 cu ft) of rock and sand. All materials will be quarried in The UAE. On the two islands, there will be over 100 luxury hotels, residential beach-side villas and apartments, marinas, water theme parks, restaurants, shopping malls, sports facilities and health spas.

**Burj Al Arab** (Arabic: برج العرب ,_Tower of the Arabs_) is a luxury hotel located in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is 'The world's only 7 star Hotel' since 1999. At 321 m (1,053 ft), it is the fourth tallest hotel in the world; however, 39% of its total height is made up of non-occupiable space. Burj Al Arab stands on an artificial island 280 m (920 ft) from Jumeirah beach and is connected to the mainland by a private curving bridge. The shape of the structure is designed to mimic the sail of a ship.

The 'Water Discus Hotel' - a spaceship-shaped building perched in the water and looking not unlike a Jame Bond villain's lair - is set to be the first of several planned across the region. The hotel will be made up of two main discs, one above water and one below, they will be connected by three 'legs' which contain lifts and stairways to plunge guests from the sunshine above down beneath the surface of the sea.

28-floor Aperiron building would be 300m from the Dubai coast and accessible only by boat or helicopter. As well as 438 luxury suites, it would contain a spa, an art gallery, and an underwater restaurant with views into a surrounding lagoon. To top it off, the top two floors would house a temperature-controlled butterfly jungle with tropical species.

The Innespace Dolphin prototype personal watercraft, which can ride on top of, leap out of, or dive under the water' surface.

The Deep Flight Super Falcon is a flying submarine that can't really fly. Not that it matters for anyone, but the "fly" part refers to the way it dives.

The key here is that the Deep Flight Super Falcon doesn't have ballast tanks—tanks which can be filled with water or pressurized air to increase or decrease the submarine's weight—making it to submerge or emerge. The two-seat Super Falcon dives down to 1,500 feet using speed and it's aerodynamic design.

The by far largest roofed dry dock is at the German Meyer Werft Shipyard in Papenburg, Germany, it is 504m long, 125m wide and stands 75m tall.

Currently, Harland and Wolff Heavy Industries in Belfast, Northern Ireland, is the site of the largest drydock in the world. The massive cranes are named after the Biblical figures Samson and Goliath. Goliath stands 96m tall, while Samson is taller at 106m.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The list is meant to convey just how much information Alexis is taking and bringing back.

Would Tellus and by extension Alexis steal all this information? I debated that for a while. I finally decided that if the information was lost for whatever reason, the economic down turn gets worse, or heaven forbid thousands of ICBM's get used, then yes they would steal.

Call it a fire sprinkler system for the Ancient Library of Alexandria. They're not stealing, they're preserving information.


	61. Chapter 61

**CH61**

Why is there always ONE? Guests should not write reviews! If you have an opinion sign in and man up or read and keep silent!

No one on this site is writing to make JUST YOU happy!

Exhale deep breath - I feel better now.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was now 2 months later:

Three cargo ships had come and gone with supplies but not any more people who were going to stay.

All of the projects were coming along nicely. Both cities were framed up to the fourth floor and all three cranes at each site were working overtime.

The train between the two was also making good progress. The tunnel thru the mountain had been started. By the time the tunnel was scheduled to be finished the trains from each side would be there by then.

The farms were expanding quickly, especially the ones like orange or apple trees. Since it would take years to get anything from the ones just planted, those needed to be planted first.

Kate was now 8 months pregnant and as horny as ever. Rick was doing the best he could to keep up with her; however it was a struggle some days.

Captain Montgomery was with the entire Castle clan inside the lodge. "The council has officially asked for your help in establishing the new colony on the planet Athos. Similar to Airel they are offering compensation for your time and help.

However with a relatively small land mass, they are willing to entertain options. I presume you have talked about it already." Roy tells them.

"We have and we have a few things we want to discuss that you may need to go back to talk to the council about." Rick tells him. Getting a look from Roy of 'and that is'?

"We want to send Alexis and Lucy back to Earth so they can access the orbital satellites and download a number of items that deal with oceans. Tellus doesn't have any and this planet is nothing but ocean." Kate tells Roy the first one.

"I don't need the council to answer that one. Either myself or the Moon Shines would be happy to take them." Roy doesn't need to think about that one.

"As for compensation Alexis has thought up something that we are interested in." Kate tells Roy. Getting a 'tell me' look from him.

"Rick and Alexis know of luxury sailing yachts that would be capable of sailing around the entire planet. However we would need to download its construction from Earth to build it. Plus since it is a water planet it is likely we are going to need to build large dry docks for ship construction and maintenance." Kate tells Roy what they are interested in.

"Actually being ship owners makes sense since the entire planet is all most all water. … To be honest the council has already considered several options of what you might want. I can tell you that your request is already granted.

The council was hoping you would know what to build on the only land mass. This planet is a major departure from what they are used to." Roy tells them happy they are going to do it.

"There are a couple of caveats to our acceptance. One we're not moving until after the baby is born." Kate explains.

"It will take just over 2 months to get from here to Earth then on to Athos. You told me you are 8 months along. The Moon Shines will be here a month from now to transport you and others to Athos.

When the Moon Shines reaches Athos with you and the new colonists they will be met by 2 cargo ships filled with cargo from Tellus. These cargo ships will be carrying the new shuttles. If our timing is good Miss Alexis and Lucy should be at Athos one month later, more or less.

These shuttles use cargo containers to hold the cargo. The containers are loaded and unloaded and the containers can be left behind on the planet until they are empty.

So you will be getting a head start this time. … I know this sounds like it is difficult on Tellus, and I won't lie. There are a lot of people working long hours to make this work. However we can all see the goal we are working for.

We know how long it is going to take to build the two cities here along with the train between the two. Plus all the other work sites. What the council doesn't know is how long it will take to build anything on Athos." Roy tells them.

"Lucy and I can do that." Alexis tells him.

"So I see a problem then. We won't know what to build or how until Miss Alexis gets back from Earth one month after you and the cargo ships get there." Roy sees a problem.

"I don't think so. Dry docks to build ships in are just really big holes in the ground." Alexis tells him.

"It's the cranes that make it a dry dock and those are going to create a challenge for people who have never built one before." Rick adds.

"We are going to have a serious learning curve. How to live, what to eat, what it takes to build on or near that much water." Roy confides. This really is new to them.

"I'll warn you now; salt water will rust most anything made of metal. The metal will start to deteriorate and cause holes and eventually fall apart and or collapse." Rick warns him.

"It'll take either me or Moon Shines to get that information to Tellus about 3 months. That could present a challenge." Roy thinks that one over. "Can you bring back what type of materials should be used Miss Alexis? I need to get that to Tellus as quickly as possible."

"I can add it to my list. Right Lucy?" Alexis calls over her shoulder.

"Your list has been modified." Lucy answers back.

"I don't think I have words to thank you and your family. Your willingness to do this is making a really big difference. I can't begin to explain the benefit of having your family and the information you have provided have done for us.

You said there were two things. What is the second?" Roy is curious since they got a little sidetracked.

"We're thinking it would helpful if we all had training to be a shuttle pilot. Not much land space on Athos so a shuttle would work best to get around, even if we have boats." Kate tells Roy.

"Well, I can have someone teach Miss Alexis during our trip and get her some flight time while we are at Earth, and I can leave a pilot to teach you two before the Moon Shines gets here. He can then go with you and meet us back at Athos." Roy suggests.

"YES!" Rick pumps his arm all happy. He was going to get to fly a ship in space. How cool was that?!

Kate helped Alexis pack a bag for two months while Rick went to unplug Lucy from her server.

"You're sure about this Alexis? This is a big step. Your father and I won't be there to help you." Kate was getting worried for her. Kate may be treating her as being older, but she was still a child.

"We need the information mom, and the sooner you and dad get started the sooner we can come home, and I'll be fine. I'm a big girl plus I have Lucy." Alexis puts up a brave face. It was a little scary but exciting too.

Kate has Alexis stop packing so she could hold her. "You're going to miss the birth of your baby brother or sister." Kate liked that Alexis was there for her last time.

The baby took this moment to start kicking a little. "Wow mom, I felt that." Alexis pulls away a little. "Doesn't that hurt?" Alexis thought it must.

"Most of the time no. It depends on what part of me he is kicking. Usually it just feels weird to have my insides move around like that. It also reminds me there is someone alive in there waiting to get out. …. Oh here." And Kate quickly grabs Alexis's hand and puts it where the baby was really moving now.

Alexis just grins wide. Alexis can feel it just not imagine doing it herself.

Rick comes back while Alexis is still feeling the baby kick. "Here's Lucy." As Rick hands her to Alexis. "You sure about this pumpkin?" He's proud of her and worried at the same time.

"Yes dad, just like I told mom, I'll be fine." Alexis stuffed Lucy into her bag.

Kate, Rick and Martha all hugged her and kissed her and watched her get on the shuttle.

"She'll be fine. I'll assign her, her own room so she won't have to share and Lucy will get plugged in on the bridge and I have a free work space there for her to sit at. Everyone on the bridge will keep an eye on her.

They all know how valuable she is to making these colony worlds work for us.

Maybe she'll decide to be a teacher and we'll all have green thumbs." Roy chuckles. Since he's convinced any plant he touches is doomed to die.

"Thank you Captain." Kate tells him wiping away tears. 'Stupid hormones'!

They watched the shuttle fly away with Roy at the controls since the pilot who brought him down was staying behind to teach Kate and Rick how to pilot a shuttle.

"She'll be fine you two. Alexis is growing up. It's a learning experience for her. .. And I have a class in half an hour. … Try not to worry. That entire ship knows how valuable that child is." Martha pats both Kate and Rick and walks towards her upcoming class.

Rick got Kate to follow her with Rick carrying Emily, back into the lodge. "Don't' you have a doctor's appointment?" Rick asks at the door to the lodge.

"Oh, that's right. Thanks babe." And Kate gives Rick a quick kiss and heads for the medical building.

Kate enters the medical facility and the nurse takes all her vitals and asks if Kate has been taking all her vitamins as prescribed. Gets her weight and her height and has her wait for Dr. Harrison.

"Detective Castle, good of you to join us." He has noticed Kate is a little late.

"Sorry, Alexis just left with Captain Montgomery for a quick trip to Earth. It's her first trip away from home for an extended period without either Rick or I. I was, … busy." Yea, busy crying, Kate thinks.

"I'm sure she'll be fine. For someone her age she is amazingly mature. … Well let's take a look at you and the baby shall we." Dr. Harrison gets started.

"No headaches? No dizziness? How are the cravings?"

"No, no and I've got them and one of them is a little weird." Kate starts blushing.

"Trust me detective, all cravings are weird. What is your definition of weird?" Hoping it is at least semi-healthy.

"I want, … I mean I crave, …. I mean it's just, …. It's not like I've never done this before, but lately I want a lot of it. I want the taste, it's soooo, …." Kate trails off.

Dr. Harrison waits for Kate to finish since it seems this is going to be a doosey.

Kate sighs, this is going to be sooo embarrassing. "I crave the taste of my husband after we have oral sex and he comes in my mouth. I suck out every last drop I can." Kate finally tells him turning a brilliant shade of red.

Dr. Harrison had thought he had heard them all, but this was a new one. "And here I was afraid you were going to say something like pickles on a shingle dipped in garlic or something." Dr. Harrison chuckles.

That mental picture has Kate slapping her hand over her mouth to keep from vomiting.

"Sorry!" Dr. Harrison tells her. "As for your craving, if your husband can keep up with you I see no reason why you can't continue. … I am however going to suggest that you refrain from sexual intercourse in a couple of weeks.

And before you panic, it's not because you'll hurt the baby. It's just that late in the pregnancy it is possible that you will burst a tiny blood vessel and you would see blood spotting.

Both of you are likely to panic and come rushing in here over nothing. Physically you are fine to continue at whatever pace you have now if you wish. Just keep that in mind when you do and you see any spotting." Dr. Harrison informs her.

If only he knew what their pace was. It had been practically once a day since they had started making love to each other the moment they met. And that's if you didn't count doing it 3 or more times in one encounter.

Having sex a lot means different things to different people.

Kate went back to the lodge and found Rick trying to either get Emily to walk or at least stand on her own two feet.

"Is she walking?" Kate asks excited.

"With the speed she uses to crawl she'll probably learn to run first." Rick chuckles, getting Kate to giggle a little.

Emily could probably win races with the speed at which she crawls sometimes.

"But to answer your question, no, she is not walking yet. She hasn't quite got it down that her feet are meant for walking and not kicking mommy." Rick teases.

Kate steps closer and takes one of Rick's hands and places it on her swollen tummy. "You mean like this?"

Rick lets Emily plop down on her but while he pays attention to what his hand is feeling. "We are going to have a pair of gold medal athletes at the rate they move around." Rick was impressed.

"I'm still working on how my body parts are still all in the same place, as active as these two have been." Kate also wants this one to stop using her bladder as a punching bag. So she starts rubbing her belly. "Enough already, we all know you're in there."

"How about if I put Emily down and you lie down and let me get some oil and rub your belly. Maybe that will quiet him?" Rick offers.

"You do my swollen feet too and you've got yourself a deal." Kate knew from experience this was going to feel soooooo good.

Alexis had been on this bridge before but never for this long a time. She was sitting at one of the stations that were empty. Alexis had been assured that nothing she touched would affect the ship since that console had been locked out.

Alexis took it to mean it was just like one of those Star Trek episodes where the young boy who was on the bridge accidentally touched the controls and had caused the ship to be damaged.

Alexis however was only half right. In this case the controls were locked out to everybody, not just her.

"Why do we have to get past the further most planet before we can go faster?" Alexis whispers to the lady next to her, not wanting to interfere with Captain Montgomery.

"That's because our drive is affected by gravity. If we are still in too heavy a gravity area the bubble we create will not work properly and it would rip this ship to pieces killing everyone on board." Roy answers having heard the question.

Roy figured he should answer since they were already beyond Uranus and Alexis had sat their quietly, for which he was grateful.

"So what happens if we go past a black hole too close?" Alexis asks knowing they were dangerous anytime.

"Our bubble would fail, dump us in the gravity well of the black hole and suck us in." Roy answers. "Fortunately we will not be anywhere near one of those." Hoping to ease Alexis's fears.

"Mom said it took her just over a year to get here, now you do it in one month?" Alexis asks another question.

"When Detective Castle, then Detective Beckett had left on the Horizon, the new drive called the 'Franz Drive', named after the man who perfected it, it was in testing. When testing was complete all ships started being retro-fitted with the new drive.

Ships like the Sun Rises have been modified to handle the new drive. Others like all the cargo ships have been built with this drive in mind.

All the military ships are undergoing retro-fit also. Though there is one new military ship being built with this drive in mind." Roy explains.

"Must be a lot of work changing ships, building new ships, creating cargo to be shipped out." Alexis whispers.

"It has been a major challenge, and it has been hard on the people of Tellus, but we are managing so far. The real test is getting cargo to two different planets and having people to do the construction on both. I'm not sure how much longer we can keep up this schedule." Roy did have some concerns.

"Your drive sounds like something I saw on Star Trek once. They were trying to come up with an FTL that was better than warp drive. It had something to do with riding a wave." Alexis comments about one of the episodes.

"I'm afraid I don't know anything about this, Star Trek." Roy had to confess, so speculation on the similarities was pointless.

"Maybe we can download all of the Star Trek episodes?" Alexis whispers softly. "Lucy?"

"I will add it to your list Alexis." Lucy tells her.


	62. Chapter 62

**CH62**

Rick was depressed if that was the right word for it. He thought he was going to be learning to fly a shuttle. As in actually fly one. Instead here is sitting in a classroom of sorts reading a book and going over a seemingly endless list of components and what they did.

Rick would be asleep by now if Kate didn't keep swatting him waking him up.

However Rick was learning. The two of them after the class would quiz each other while looking after Emily, who still wasn't walking yet, but she was willing to stand on her own two feet at least for a little while.

And Emily was such a happy baby, it didn't take much to get her to smile and giggle up bubbles. If you clapped your hands together Emily would give it a try. Sometimes succeeding, other times miss her hands altogether.

"Enough already, I'm not a punching bag." Kate moans and bubs her belly to get the baby to calm down.

"I'll go get the oil." Rick tells her.

Soon Kate is lying down with her belly exposed as Rick rubs her belly round and round, applying a little pressure here and there.

"I swear he does this to me just to get you to rub my belly." Kate lets out a moan as she enjoys Rick's hands.

"I'm just worried that you'll get used to this and I'll have to keep doing this even after the baby comes." Rick teases.

"Hhhmmmm, …. you got that right." Kate started to complain when his hands left her belly, but soon found his hands working their magic on her feet next. Kate was spoiled and loving it.

Rick was just finishing working on her feet when the word that two shuttles were just now arriving.

Rick left Kate to watch Emily while he got up and went outside. He watched them both land in the distance. One went to the city and the other went to the railroad site.

The night shift at all the sites for the cities, the railroad or the tunnel were smaller than the day shift, but none of them ever stopped working.

The framing for both of the cities was now on the 9th floor. They still had a long ways to go. Rick still marveled at what they had planned. With a floor area of 3,530,316 m2 (38,000,000 sq ft) and would utilize futuristic wind aversion and energy producing technology for sustainability. It and the surrounding city area would have had the ability to accommodate 80,000 residents for each, since they were going to be twin cities.

The building will have a total of 59 elevators, five of which will be double-deck elevators, as well as 12 escalators. It will also have the highest observation deck here or on Tellus.

It will have a total of 213 occupied floors. The city was expected to take 63 months to complete from ground breaking to full occupation.

Both towers share a similar three-petal triangular footprint for stability and a tapering form, with sheer height and wind being the biggest structural design challenge.

The piles will be up to 200 metres (656 ft) deep and the pad over 90 metres (295 ft) across, yet even still the building, which will weigh over 900,000 tons, is expected to settle.

Mixed-use: office, hotel, residential, apartments, observation, retail. Everything a city would need.

Floor area: 319,000 m2 (3,433,687 sq ft)-530,000 m2 (5,704,873 sq ft).

This colony and the twin cities were expected to do wonders for Tellus and their people. While the twin cities would hold the majority of the planets population there would be farm houses and probably barns and grain elevators spotted all over the planet.

Rick didn't know what the transportation would be between all these farms and the city, but it didn't sound like anyone was going to have individual cars.

There were also recycle centers planned for practically everything. What couldn't be recycled was going to go up a space elevator and loaded onto a cargo ship and dumped close enough to the sun that it was forced to fall into it and burn up.

Giving new meaning to the term 'dump truck'. Rick was just glad he didn't have that job. Wait there was a Star Trek episode about that topic. Something about Klingons. The Enterprise was a garbage scow or hauled away AS garbage.

Rick went back inside to be with Kate and Emily. When the cargo ship left after delivering their cargo, him and Kate, as acting governors of the planet, for now, would have to attend another meeting to go over everything that was going on. Construction, planting, harvesting, everything.

The new governors would also be attending this meeting so they could be brought up to speed on what was going on.

Alexis couldn't say she was having fun, but she wasn't bored either. Plus everyone on board had found out who she was. Every time Alexis was in the Rec. room people would ask her questions about Earth. So far no one asked questions about Earth's military capability.

They had passed the outer most planet in the Airel system a few hours ago and had 'jumped', if that was the right word, into FTL. It pushed Alexis back into the chair she was sitting at on the bridge. It got Alexis to think about gravity.

There was something. "Captain, have you heard of a Dyson sphere?" Alexis suddenly asked.

"No Miss Alexis I have not. Is it important?" What was Alexis thinking?

"There was a Star Trek episode about finding a Dyson sphere. They found it by accident because of a gravity problem as they flew too close to it. They use all the planets in the system to build a sphere around the sun. Then you live on the inside of the sphere. Something about having an Earth on the surface all the way around the sun." Alexis tries to explain.

**Dyson sphere** is a hypothetical megastructure that completely encompasses a star and hence captures most or all of its power output.

Alexis could hear someone of the bridge whistle. "The engineering it would take to create such a structure is way past our ability." Roy tells her. Even thinking of such a structure seemed incredible. "I promise, we come across such a structure, you'll be the first person I tell." Roy tells Alexis, though it was more likely he would report to Tellus first, but still, close enough.

It was a little while later after Alexis had, had lunch, which reminded her of baby food. "Captain I know there is dust and debris out in space. How do we not have holes in the ship when we collide with it?"

"If you mean like right now in FTL, the field we create to enter FTL takes care of that for us. Unless it is really big, in which case our scans of the surrounding space will show it, and we just go around it.

If you mean out of FTL, we generate a low power cold plasma field around the ship. Think of it this way, if an object were to enter a planet's atmosphere it would burn up right. Well this field works in the same way only it's artificial in origin. So long as we have power, we can generate the field and we are safe." Roy tries to dumb it down for her.

"So it's like the deflector dish in Star Trek." Alexis thinks she understands.

"It sounds like I'm going to have to watch this Star Trek you keep mentioning." Roy tells her, followed by a "Me too." From someone else on the bridge.

A few days later Alexis was on the bridge at her designated station, that was still locked out. "Lucy can you search Earth entertainment for anything that doesn't have violence in it that you can download?" Alexis asks.

"Can you give me an example or two?" Lucy answers back.

Alexis had to think about that. A lot of what even she was allowed to watch had violence of some form in it. "Titanic maybe. … Cars maybe. …. Disney movies. …. Ground Hog Day maybe. …. Wizard of Oz maybe. Is that enough?" Alexis was running low on movies she knew about.

"That should be a large enough parameter for me to search with." Lucy tells her.

Alexis was beginning to worry about how much stuff she was asking Lucy to download. "Is this too big a list Lucy?"

"There shouldn't be a problem provided we are allowed the time to download everything." Lucy answers back.

Alexis hadn't thought about needing time. Then she remembered that it took time to download programs at home. "Can you access more than one satellite and download a whole lot at the same time?" Alexis Knew Lucy was fast, but just how fast was she?

"I will know better once we are there and I get started on your list." Lucy didn't have an answer, yet.

Mostly Alexis just sat there and watched everyone on the bridge do their jobs.

Almost one month later:

Alexis had entered the bridge and had gone to her station. Alexis hadn't been there long when she noticed everyone was a lot more active. There was a lot more communication going on between everyone and the captain.

Roy gets up and steps over to Alexis. "We have achieved orbit around your moon." Roy tells Alexis. "Lucy we need you to start the download of Alexis's and your list."

"Gaining access to one of the satellites in Earth orbit. … Access obtained. …. Beginning download." Lucy tells them.

"Can I see?" Alexis asks.

"Put Earth on the main screen." Roy orders.

Alexis gets up to stand next to Roy's chair so she can see better. "WOW!"

Roy pats his chair. "Hop up. …. It's alright, just don't touch the buttons on the arm." Roy pats the chair again.

Alexis climbs in and sits down and looks at the display. "WOW!" Alexis was grinning. She was sitting in the captain's chair! How cool was this!?

"Can you highlight which satellite Lucy is presently accessing?" Roy asks. And soon a little dot starts blinking.

"I have completed download of the first four items on the list." Lucy informs everyone. "Six items. … I have been discovered. They are attempting to prevent access." Lucy tells them.

"I have completed download of 11 items on the list. ….. They have severed my connection to the satellite. They actually powered it down. …. Switching to Alexis's plan 'B'. ….. Downloads commencing." Lucy tells them.

"Plan 'B'?" Roy asks puzzled. Alexis just grins. Soon there are 3 blinking lights around the planet.

"Access more than one satellite at one time. …. Very nice Miss Alexis." Roy smiles at her.

"I have been discovered in one of the satellites. Half of the list is now downloaded. Attempting to gain access to a fourth satellite. …. Interesting, this one is protected and access is encrypted. …. Access to the satellite achieved, beginning analysis of encryption." Lucy goes silent for a moment.

"Encryption broken, beginning download. …. Alexis, what is CIA?" Lucy doesn't understand.

Before Alexis can answer her. "OH! Interesting. …. Intelligence of items or locations on the planet. …. Interesting. Beginning download of database of CIA. …. I've been discovered. ….. ¾ of the original download list has been completed. I have lost access to one of the satellites." Lucy tells them.

"The CIA satellite has fried itself to prevent my continued access. There was a lot there, I gained only a fraction of what was available." Lucy was bummed.

"I'm down to two satellites and 7/8th of the list has been downloaded." Lucy tells them.

Alexis had gotten bored. It was taking forever for Lucy to download the huge list she had. Alexis had gone to her room to take a nap, and then went to have lunch (more baby food). Kate however was right. They changed the flavor every few days. Still it wasn't really food. Alexis had a new appreciation for Kate having to eat this stuff every day for a year or more just to get here. Then another year of this to get back. YUCK!

Alexis was back on the bridge listening to Lucy explain how much of the list had been downloaded.

"Download complete. Virus scan of each item was completed after every download. Each download is clean. They know I have been accessing their database." Lucy tells them.

"We will remain in orbit for another 24 hours before we break orbit and head for Athos. In case you two think up any more items for us to download. … nice work you two." Roy was happy.

Alexis sat at her bridge station and tried to think up anything else Lucy should download. Alexis had a new home and a growing family. "I wonder if mom had the baby yet." Alexis whispers out.

"Unless Kate is late, which is possible, she should have given birth to your brother or sister a few days ago." Lucy comments having heard her.

"I don't even know if it's a boy or a girl or even what the name is." Alexis was suddenly depressed and getting just a little home sick. Plus she missed all her plants.

Alexis got up and shuffled her feet to her room so she could lie down for a little while.

Roy watched her leave with her head hung low. "How is she doing Lucy?"

"She knows Kate should have had the baby by now, and she is missing her family." Lucy is forced to admit.

"I was wondering when that would come up. Space travel isn't for everyone. Especially someone so young away from home probably for the first time.

See if you can spread the word. Maybe the off duty crew can keep her occupied in the recreation room." Roy offers.

Movie time was quickly changed to nightly, and thanks to Lucy and the crew, with narrative from Alexis, was being introduced to Star Trek. The original show was shown first followed by Next Generation.

A deck of playing cards was made out of scrap paper and Alexis proceeded to teach the crew every card game she knew.

Alexis was out in space! She had a shuttle pilot who had been teaching her go with her since it was to early for her to fly solo yet. Inside Alexis was having a blast. On the outside she was all business. Alexis knew if she screwed up, they might both die.

After her trip it was back to classes. This time dealing with what she did or didn't do. Then after lunch they were back out in space again. They did this all day until time for bed.

Just before the Sun Rises was to break orbit, Alexis came rushing onto the bridge and hoped in her chair. "Lucy can you download, every baseball, football, hockey, basketball, Lacrosse or soccer game you can find? Maybe even everything on all the Olympics?" Alexis had, had a sudden inspiration.

"Accessing the satellites, download commencing." Lucy tells her.

"Oh and everything you can on wine making and chocolate. Mom seems to love both of those." Alexis was bouncing in her chair. She had a surprise for Kate.

Roy had walked over. "You two ready to leave?"

"Lucy is downloading stuff, can we wait for her to finish?" Please say yes, Alexis hopes.

"Lucy?" Roy asks. Meaning how long?

"Give me about two hours, Alexis has asked for a lot of information." Lucy responds.

"Two hours it is then." And Roy goes back to his seat and sits.

Roy's timing is almost perfect. "You two done yet?"

"Downloads complete." Lucy tells him.

"Thank you!" Alexis looks up at Roy.

"Not a problem, let's get you home shall we? … Navigation, set a course for Athos. Helm break orbit, and best speed out of the system so we can engage the FTL drive." Roy orders as he makes his way to his chair. Giving Alexis a quick wink.

As Alexis was leaving the bridge. "How are your classes going?" Roy asks.

"Fine I guess. I don't think I understand half of the things in a shuttle." Alexis fears she is in over her head.

"You just need to understand what they do, not why they work. You're not trying to learn how to fix it, just fly it without getting yourself killed or anyone else. Just concentrate on that.

"How goes the 3D thinking?" Understanding spatial mechanics was another challenge for some people.

"That's actually a little better. It would be nice to have a 3D display for the scan screen. Looking at something in 2D but trying to think in 3D is difficult." Alexis tells him. "Maybe if it was something on the window that you could see threw so you didn't have to keep looking down at the color screens."

"I'll pass that a long, maybe they will think of something. Have you discussed that with your teacher?" Roy asks. Getting a shake of Alexis's head.

"Bring it up in your next class, maybe he knows something I don't." Roy offers. "You headed for your next class?"

"Yea, he wants to put me in front of a control panel this time." Closest they came to flying the real thing while in FTL.

"Good luck Miss Alexis and have fun." Roy tells her and watches her exit the bridge.

"You sure she's 13 Captain?" Someone on the bridge asked, impressed actually.

"Yea, amazing isn't it." Roy answers back.


	63. Chapter 63

**CH63**

"This reading is boring." Rick didn't want to read he wanted to fly a shuttle in space.

"Rick you need to study so you know what buttons do what and why. Or is this just a big joy ride to you? … Well is it?" Kate glares at him.

"Ok try it this way. You're in the Jag back home and you don't know how to drive. Don't know anything about the accelerator, or the brake, or the gears, or the lights, or the signs in the road, or the painted lines on the road.

You've got Alexis and her friends with you and you take off driving on your joy ride, because that is what you want to do.

How long will it be before you run someone down, run a red light and crash into another car, or maybe a big truck hits you in the side. You, Alexis and her friends are all dead because it was just a joy ride.

The shuttle can carry cargo or it can carry people, like US when the shuttle picked us up off of your roof. Since it's just joy ride you don't know what that flashing light means so you ignore it, because you're having fun.

Suddenly the shuttle crashes and everyone is dead. The people in back put their lives in your hands because you are a shuttle pilot. But it was just a joy ride to you so who cares who lives and who dies." Kate was mad. Sometimes his child like fun wasn't any fun.

Kate drops her tablet she was studying with and struggles to get up, then heads out the main door of the lodge, pissed!

Rick had just had his butt removed and handed to him. He had been thinking of it as a joy ride. Driving was a privilege, not a right. It also applied to shuttles.

Rick decided to sulk and try and figure out how to put his butt back together using bandages. He would apologize and hit the books with Kate after he found all the pieces Kate had just chopped it up into.

Kate was furious! She loved him and hated him at the same time. She was so mad she forgot to pick up Emily and left her with Rick. "Damn it!" So Kate turned around and headed back inside to get Emily.

Kate found Rick right where she left him and walked over to pick up Emily, when she doubled over in pain and felt liquid flowing down her legs. Kate froze. "Rick, …. I think my water just broke."

"WHAT! …. NOW? … You can't have the baby now. It's three weeks early." Rick thought that was a stupid thing to say as soon as it left his mouth. "Right, right, … baby. Can you walk to medical? I'll take Emily with me."

"I can make it. The contractions only just started." Rick had Emily in one arm and had a hold of Kate with the other.

They were half way there when Kate had another contraction. The next one was as they were walking into medical.

The nurse saw them come in and by the way Kate was walking and the sudden pain on her face. "Find Dr. Harrison." She tells another nurse.

Stepping up to Kate. "Come on Kate let's get you into a room." And helps Kate thru a door.

It's an hour later when Dr. Harrison shows up. "I'm told someone wants to make an early appearance."

"Just a little early. The contractions aren't that, … Awwww!" Kate just had to open her big mouth.

"Well let's take a look at how far a long you are." Dr. Harrison tells her.

"You are only 3cm dilated so we have some time yet." Dr. Harrison tells them. And goes outside to talk to the nurses.

In that time Kate started grunting a little faster and faster with less time in between each contraction.

"Rick, Emily doesn't need to be seeing or hearing this. …. Awwww." Kate almost yells at him.

"Right, …. right." And Rick opens the door to find Dr. Harrison.

Rick leaves Emily with one of the nurses and comes back in a few seconds later with Dr. Harrison and one of the nurses.

"I'm sorry Kate, I really thought this would take a little longer. Someone is in a hurry." Dr. Harrison apologizes. "Let's see how you are doing."

Rick moves over to take Kate's hand urging Kate to breathe.

"You're doing fine Kate, just a few more minutes at this rate." ….. "I can see a head."

"You're doing great Kate, just a few more pushes." …... "One more push with the next contraction."

They can all soon hear someone crying. "Nice work Kate, she looks great." Dr. Harrison tells them.

"HER?" Rick asks.

"Yup, you've got yourself another girl." Dr. Harrison hands her over to Kate for a moment.

Kate is melting. She's in love all over again. "She has your eyes." Kate notices.

The nurse soon takes her and gets her cleaned up and checked out.

"You did great Kate." Rick is proud of her and leans down to kiss her.

"You're not sorry it's another girl?" Kate wanted him to have a son. Plus it felt like a boy at the rate she had been kicking lately.

"It's ours Kate. That already makes her perfect. And a deal is a deal. What's her name?" Rick wanted to know.

"Kali Lee Castle." Kate tells him. 5.25 pounds, 18.66 inches long (47.4cm)

"She is a little tall for her weight. I'm going to guess here that she will have your legs." Dr. Harrison tells Kate.

"My legs and your eyes. She's going to give us nothing but trouble." Kate looks at Rick while holding Kali in her arms again.

"You are going to stay here with us over night Kate. And we are going to take Kali and keep a close watch on her." Dr. Harrison tells them. And has a nurse come in and take Kali.

"Now don't start to panic on me. She looks perfectly healthy and you'll probably get to take her home in a few days. Three weeks is a little early, but nothing to worry about. You can both come visit and stay as long as you want.

You should take Emily home, and you should get some rest. I'm going to go check on Kali and then I'll be back. The nurse will be here soon to move you to a room for the night." Dr. Harrison tells them and then leaves.

"I'll see if I can get mother to watch Emily for a little while and I'll be right back." Rick leans down and kisses Kate again. "You were terrific and I love you."

Rick was soon back without Emily and found Kate in her room asleep. Rick decided to go check on Kali and found her encased in a glass box. "She's fine Mr. Castle. It just helps us monitor all her vitals and helps her breath. We'll take her out in a couple of hours for your wife to feed her.

She'll be fine." The nurse assures him and pats his arm and heads off for other duties.

Rick stays and stares at her for a number of minutes, then goes to check on Kate who is still asleep.

With nothing else to do, Rick goes back to Emily so his mother can come take a look.

It was three weeks later before they let Kali out of the hospital and home with Rick, Kate and Emily.

While Emily was quiet, Kali was anything but. Kali had an opinion about everything and she wasn't afraid of making her thoughts known to her parents, sister and everyone else in the lodge.

When she wasn't making her presence known, Kali was either at her mother's breast feeding or sleeping.

Kate couldn't take it anymore and nothing she did would keep Kali quiet. Kali didn't have a temperature, have a rash, need her diaper changed. Nor was she hungry. "You try Rick." Kate offers Kali over to him.

Rick takes her from Kate and has Kali silent in seconds as his hands subconsciously start stroking her round and round. Kali is smiling and staring up at Rick with his eyes.

"I should have known. She only stopped kicking me when you rubbed my belly. She's a natural born daddy's girl. We both love your hands." Kate chuckles to herself over this development.

It did however make everyone in the lodge happy.

They soon had it all worked out. Kali was in her daddy's hands unless it was time for Kate to feed her. While Kate kept Emily entertained.

Kate still had a little pain from the delivery and she tired easily, but it was getting better.

Four weeks after Kali was born Captain Zhukov of the Moon Shines showed up along with another cargo ship.

"Detective Castle and Castle. I see you have a new addition already. I thought you would be expecting about the time we arrived." Zhukov was confused a little.

"She decided to make an early appearance. Three weeks early actually." Kate tells him.

"So what's this little cuties name?" Zhukov asks.

"Kali Lee Castle." Kate tell him since she names her.

"Kali, Emily and Alexis. …. I always knew you were a ladies' man Castle." Zhukov teases.

"The next one will be a boy." Rick tries to sound convinced.

"NEXT ONE! …. This is the last one Rick. I'm not a baby factory." Kate glares at him. She was going to hurt him if he thought she was having another child.

"We'll talk." Rick teases.

"We're done talking." Kate assures Rick.

"Well when you four are ready to go let me know. It'll take a few days to unload the supplies and personnel I bought with me. …. How is the construction going?" Zhukov is interested.

"Last I knew both cities are framed up to the 22nd floor, and the train was about a quarter of the way to the mountain range coming from both ends. The tunnel however is a little behind schedule. Contractors blame the delays mostly on fiberglass strands that became stuck near the cutting face of the drill. The pace is about two weeks behind what the team expected.

Before drilling began, officials estimated it would progress at 6 feet per day to start, and eventually accelerate to 35 feet per day.

The project's 250 workers, at the launch pit in Sodo, are still performing tasks such as putting the arc-shaped tunnel segments into position, and adjusting the drill." Rick informs him.

"There is one more thing you two should know. Some of the people I brought with me are a team that is going to try and take a more in depth look at that obelisk you found. They plan on being there for several weeks. They have more equipment and gear." Zhukov shows he is impressed. "They are not likely to ask for anything, but they might. They plan on staying there for the next ship who will pick them up and take them back to Tellus."

"So you've never seen one of these before? …. There isn't one of these on Tellus?" Rick asks.

"No, as far as I know this is new." Zhukov confirms.

"I thought, … I guess I don't understand something then. ….. You're ancestors came from Earth and yet in the same amount of time you are years ahead of us in technology. I mean we can barely get off our own planet." Rick was fishing for an explanation.

Zhukov turns to look at Kate. "You haven't told him?"

"It never came up till now. It's not like I can sit him down and tell him every little detail about Tellus. Too much information would just go in one ear and out the other." ….. "Sorry, I didn't mean it the way it sounded." Kate scrunched her face and ducked a little.

"Too much information at one time and some of it may get lost." Rick gets it. And gets a kiss from Kate for being understanding.

"There is a site on Tellus, just on the border between the deep desert and the more civilized section of the planet. It was found years ago.

We call it the Oracle chamber. Essentially it is a building made of a material that we have yet to understand. It is resistant to everything. …. Not unlike that obelisk you found, if I heard right.

From time to time there is a 3D image of a woman who suddenly appears in the center. She gives out information and shows drawings, calculations and other things.

At first she should up quite frequently. Lately it has been far and few between. The last one was schematics and an explanation of the new FTL drive we use. The original FTL drive also came from her. What took detective Castle a year we can now do in a month." Zhukov explains.

"So someone is giving you information to help you grow." Rick asks, getting a nod from both Zhukov and Kate.

"So they help you but don't help us. …. Is it possible these are the same people who took you from Earth in the first place? I mean your grandparents. … Make that great, great grandparents. Not that I know how many grandparents it is." Rick was babbling.

Kate is giggling and Zhukov is smiling. "That is something that has been debated for a long time now. From what we know, our ancestors were on Earth and then found themselves on Tellus. Not that far from the Oracle actually. And by that I mean a few days travel."

"So they woke up in the middle of a desert? No food, no water, no shelter?" Rick wondered how they survived.

"Apparently not. There were tents, there was a well and there was food. They even found a lot of the items they had at home or work inside the tents.

Whoever did it planned ahead. They found the Oracle not long after and were soon searching the planet and eventually spread out to form cities." Zhukov explains.

"You're thinking the obelisk we found is another Oracle?" Rick wonders.

"We don't have an obelisk at or near the Oracle site, so if it is one, it functions differently." Zhukov corrects him.

"Maybe a test to see how far you have come. If you can figure out how to get inside it, …." Rick trails off thinking.

"Hopefully the team I'm dropping off will find us some answers. Speaking of which I need to go do just that. I'll be back in about 3 days to see if you two are ready and we can decide when to leave for Athos." Zhukov takes his leave and heads for his shuttle.

"So that's how you did it. You had help. I was wondering how you could be that far ahead of us coming from the same planet." Rick actually chuckles to himself.

This tells Kate that he's not mad. "I'm sorry babe, I'm not trying to keep secrets. It's just that it never came up. …. speaking of secrets. There's something I should probably tell you." Kate is interrupted by Kali starting to cry.

Kate and Rick both go over to her. Rick tries using his hands to quiet her down while checking her diaper. "Well it's not her diaper."

"She's probably just hungry." Kate lifts Kali up and sits down with her while grabbing a towel. Kate exposes a breast and moves Kali so she can reach. As soon as Kali starts feeding Kate uses the towel to cover her and Kali.

"I've always wondered what that feels like." Rick asks meaning feeding Kali.

"If she doesn't take all of the nipple then yea it hurts a little. Otherwise it just feels like a pulling action without any pain. It is a little weird. And my nipples hurt a little after she is done, but it only lasts for a few days.

However I also get these light cramps after I start breast feeding. Dr. Harrison told me it's my uterus contracting after the pregnancy.

He also mentioned that breast feeding will help me lose some of the baby fat I've gained, along with some exercise.

And my breasts get heavy and start to hurt if I don't breast feed her. The milk build-up inside them starts to hurt.

Does that answer your question?" Kate glares at him. Or at least tries to glare at him. To be honest she loves having a baby and breast feeding her. 'Oh no Kate, don't even think about having another baby. You are not a baby factory'!

"Yea, maybe a little too much information." Rick makes a face and decides to play with Emily while Kate feeds Kali.

"KATE, …. she took a step!" Rick all but yells out.

Rick had her trying to stand on her feet when she took a tiny step forward while Rick still had a hold of her.

Now that he has Kate's attention Rick spends the next 15 minutes trying to get Emily to do it again. However Emily seems to of had enough of this and just plops down on her butt.

"I swear Kate, she took a step." Rick looks at Kate with a 'Please believe me' look.

Kate isn't sure is she believes him or not but she goes back to watching Kali feed instead.

Rick is holding Emily now. "Kate have you ever seen this, …. Oracle?"

"In person? No. I don't know how many people actually have. She talks so infrequently now that going there in the hopes of seeing her was never high on my list of things to do. Why?"

"Just wondering if she was real or not. Or something Hollywood made up to impress the people."

"To my knowledge everything she has told us has worked out. We wouldn't have FTL without her. …. We're not super human Rick. I'm not sure I'm any smarter than you are. Maybe more focused. But how you think is part of why I love you.

Before you I was seriously focused. It's what makes me a good detective. But you bring fun to most everything. Living with you around is far more interesting than living without you.

And I've got Alexis, Emily and Kali. It would be just me if I had stayed on Tellus instead of getting on the Horizon.

I wouldn't trade in a thing babe. …. except maybe the food on board ship. That stuff was just, ….wrong." Kate giggles at the memory of the baby food.

"Something Alexis is eating right now." Rick tries to picture what Kate is talking about.

Kate giggles a little. "Yea, poor baby. … at least she only has to eat it for a couple of months." Kali is done and Kate lifts her to burp her. Then cleans her breast from the mess she leaves and covers up again.

"Are you cooking tonight babe?" Kate wanted Rick's cooking tonight instead of the people he has been teaching.

"Yup, I'm going to take the next three days to get in the habit again." Rick confirms.

Kate gets up and kisses Rick for answering her silent wish. "I have to go pee. When I get back there is still something I need to talk to you about." And Kate heads out the back door.

It left Rick with the two girls wondering what she needed to tell him. "Maybe she's a doppelganger? …. No she's a Vampire! Yea that would be cool. But why would she wait until now to want to suck my blood. Even if I would give her every drop."

Rick was still trying to think up interesting things about Kate when she finally returned.

Kate checked on Kali first and found her sleeping. Giving her a kiss on her little cheek and smelling her in to remind her that she was hers.

Kate couldn't help but reflect that she had three daughters now when for so long she was convinced she wouldn't have any children at all. Kate stepped over and lifted up on tippy toes and kisses Rick. Breaking from the kiss Kate gives him a quick kiss and sits down.

"Wow it must be bad if you need to kiss me first." Rick was teasing. He thinks.

Kate smiles at him. "Maybe. …. Do you remember when you went on your book tour?"

"And I left you a present in my absence. Yea I remember." Rick was grinning.

Kate giggles. Yea she remembered that present too. It had saved her sanity. One more reason why she loved him.

"While you were gone, this lady tried to break in thru our front door using a key. When I confronted her with our daughter upstairs home sick, she screeched at me for being in her home and wanted to know where her husband was and tried to get past me while telling me to get out." Kate starts out with, cringing for what Rick might be thinking.

"OH GOD! …. I'm so sorry Kate. It never occurred to me." Rick knew exactly who she was talking about.

"Alexis came up on one of the monitors downstairs calling for me, by asking for mom." Kate pauses still cringing.

"Oh shit!" Rick rubs his hand down his face.

"She accused me of stealing her daughter and then she slapped me." Kate is still cringing since she hasn't gotten to the good stuff yet, or bad stuff.

"She, ….." Rick doesn't finish. Now he is trying to figure out what comes next.

"I sort of lost it at that point. I'm not even sure just what I did to her. But she was unconscious on the floor just inside the door. So I called 911 and the police came with an ambulance." Kate had changed her expression much.

"Meredith needed an ambulance?" What did Kate do?

"I kinda gave her a concussion, broke her arm, hurt her knee and hurt her ankle." Kate has switched to 'I'm sorry Rick' look on her face. "Oh and I also hurt her shoulder, …. and knocked out 3 of her teeth." Please don't be mad, please don't be mad.

"You knocked out 3 of her teeth?" Kate really did have skills.

"Well technically she still had them, but the EMT guy said they would probably need to be removed." Kate tells him.

Rick however remains silent.

Kate moves forward to get a little closer but doesn't touch him. "I'm sorry Rick. I'd figured out who she was. Alexis was upstairs home sick. I've hated Meredith for how she treated Alexis and to be honest I was wanting to get my hands on her.

And then she hit me, and it was all just too much. …. It wasn't till after I stopped that I realized what I had done to her. …. I hadn't really intended to do that much damage to her. …. Ok maybe that's not true. Listening to Alexis crying telling me about Meredith was just too much.

And here she was and she hit me after Alexis calls me mom. Ok I'm not her mom, but I am her mom. I mean, …." Kate is forced to stop talking when she finds herself in Rick's arms holding her tight.

"I'm not mad Kate." Rick pulls back away from Kate so he can look into her eyes but still has a hold of her.

"You forget, I'm only too familiar with who or what Meredith is. Ok maybe I don't understand her. And you are Alexis's mother. Meredith may have given birth to her, barely." Rick pauses which allows Kate to start hating Meredith all over again.

"But Kate, you are the only mother Alexis has ever had. You've done more for Alexis in the last couple of years or so than Meredith has done her entire life.

As for how much damage Meredith sustained, …. you may have over done it a bit. But you were protecting what was yours." Rick gives her a quick kiss.

"But why didn't the police contact me?" Rick was curious about that.

"I told them you were out of town on a book tour making contacting you difficult. Not long after that we left the planet." Kate reminds him.

"True but one would think they would be back to talk to us again about it. Why didn't they?" Rick didn't see why. They had time.

"I don't know. Too busy with more high profile or important cases?" Kate offers up.

"Or the case file on the computer system got lost somewhere?" Rick wonders.

Kate isn't following at first, then slaps her hand over her mouth. "Oh no Rick, she wouldn't! Would she?"


	64. Chapter 64

**CH64**

For the record Kali is pronounced Cal-eeee. Not Kaylee or i would have spelled it that way. I think?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was their first day on the Moon Shines as they headed for Athos to start yet another colony planet.

Kate had Kali and Rick had Emily. The four of them were a big hit on the ship. There wasn't a woman on the ship that didn't stop Kate so they could coo all over Kali. It only made Kate grin wider.

Rick watched Kate get her bowl of lunch, making a face the entire time. Finally it was his turn. It reminded him of those soft ice cream dispensers. Except what came out reminded him more of those pudding cups, just without the cup.

Although that wasn't true either as Rick watched it fill his bowl. The bowl was the cup.

Rick had to put another bowl down for Emily's food. So Rick got to watch it fill another bowl meant for Emily.

They all had to go to the ship doctor first to get the appropriate amount based on their health and weight.

Rick with Emily joined Kate with Kali at the table. Kate was already eating her pudding while bouncing Kali to help keep her quiet. Knowing they will likely have to switch children since Kali is such a daddy's girl.

Rick tried feeding Emily first. Rick could see her testing the taste but opened her mouth for the next spoon full taking it easily. "Well she seems to like it."

"Of course she does. It's baby food." Kate tells him stuffing another spoon full in her mouth.

Rick finally decided to brave it and used his spoon and brought it up to his mouth watching Emily open hers expecting the spoon full to be hers.

Emily watched her food go in Rick's mouth and she reached out to try and get a hold of the spoon.

Kate was laughing. "You're going to have to feed Emily first before you eat yours."

"It's actually not that bad if you like pudding. It has an unusual taste though." Rick goes back to feeding Emily.

"You remember that in a couple of weeks when you are craving a thick juicy steak, with a baked potato and corn on the cob with ice cream for dessert." Kate was laying it on thick. And by the look Rick was giving her it was working.

As expected Kate wasn't done yet and Rick hadn't even started eating when Kali started putting up a fuss, so they traded. Kate stopped eating hers so she could feed Emily while Rick started rubbing Kali to keep her happy allowing Rick to eat with his other hand.

The Moon Shines wasn't built with babies in mind. Rick and Kate had ended up in one of those double bunk bed type rooms. Emily got a lower bunk as did Kali. The trick was trying to keep them in place.

They had so much baby stuff that some of it was piled up on the floor opposite from the door. The rest of their stuff was in storage, and with two babies, they had a lot of stuff.

There were meetings every other day that Rick and Kate took turns attending, except Kate had to leave the meetings to feed Kali. They had a breast pump but didn't have any place to keep the breast milk on board ship. That would change when they made it to Athos, once they were set up.

Rick and Kate were also both still taking classes to learn how to fly a shuttle. Ever since Kate had gone ballistic on Rick, he had taken it to task to read about everything. Once Rick put his mind to it his ability to speed read soon had him way out in front of Kate.

Though they still quizzed each other as often as possible. They were both scheduled to get their first flight as soon as they reached Athos.

There was just one problem. "Can we both fit in one bed babe?" Kate wanted Rick close.

"I'm not sure there is enough space to be frisky, though I think the girls are too young to remember your screaming." Rick looks the bed over.

"I don't mean sex Rick. I've still got a little pain. …. I just want to feel you." And hear his heartbeat.

"Well since you tend to sleep on me instead of next to me, we can give it a try." Rick is game.

Rick strips and climbs up in the bunk above Kali and waits for Kate to strip and climb up and join him.

"You need to scoot babe." Kate pushes a little.

"I scoot any further and I'm going to be in the bunk on the other side of the wall." Rick does his best and twists his hips a little.

"Maybe if I put my arm here?" Kate tries to find the perfect fit.

Finally Kate lays her head down on Rick's chest and she can hear his heart beating.

"Comfy?" Rick is hopeful.

"I'm great babe, thanks." Kate settles in. "I wonder what Alexis is doing."

"Probably wishing she had food to eat." Rick was kinda wishing. Getting Kate to giggle into his chest.

Kate was awake. Still a little sleepy Kate found she was pretty much right where she was when she went to sleep. Lying partly on Rick, but why was she awake?

Oh, that was why she was awake. Kali was crying.

There was no way she was getting out of bed without waking Rick, but Kate tried anyway. Kate was part way out of bed. "Hhmmm, going somewhere?" Rick asks barely awake.

"Time to feed Kali." Kate makes it out of bed and picks up Kali. Checking her diaper first, Kate settles into the lower bunk to feed her.

Rick meanwhile got up too. "You don't need to get up for this." Kate tells him. Wondering if he is still asleep.

"If Kali is up its likely Emily is up too." Rick explains and finds that Emily is awake. Checking her diaper finding it needs to be changed. Rick grabs the bag out of the pile that was in their room to change it.

Rick and Kate were soon in a routine for the one month trip to Athos.

After two weeks of nothing but pudding Rick was ready for some new food, but he wasn't going to give Kate the satisfaction, so he remained silent. Kate thankfully had not called it out on him.

The only one who was enjoying the pudding was Emily. For whatever reason she was even trying to help Rick feed herself. And when Rick let her Emily managed to get it everywhere BUT her mouth.

The crew never put up a fuss about having babies on board. Even the people who did the laundry (Ugly smelling cotton diapers) also didn't say a thing. Clean diapers kept showing up every couple of days.

Baths for babies when all one had were showers however had proven to be another problem.

"This is the captain, all crew prepare for reversion to normal space." Came over the speakers one day.

This told everyone they had one more week before all the hard work would begin.

It was now one week later:

The Moon Shines was in orbit and the Castle family was in the recreation room going over all the data and the photos they had. They needed a landing site.

"Since we don't have Alexis this time we are going to have to do this ourselves." Turner told them.

"If we follow last time, we need a river or stream." Rick offers. "One large enough with a valley nearby to plant fields in."

"Ok this area here looks like Tellus mostly, while this side looks more like Ariel." Turner notes.

"In that case how about here or here." Rick points out two locations. "This one seems to have a river or large stream headed for this bay area here. The island out in front of it probably will protect it from storms, better than this bay on the other side of this peninsula.

The bay would be good choice if it is large enough to build big ships in.

See this inlet here. This little peninsula would be perfect if there is deep water, while this river/stream would be perfect to get water from. While this area farther south looks like a mountain range of some type. Might be prime for a wind mill farm." Rick adds.

"Leaving all of this area to the north for farm land. What about all this desert like area far to the west?"

"The coastal area looks fine." Kate points out, and Kali starts fussing. So Kate and Rick trade babies.

Rick's hands soon had Kali calm again. Kate figures she should be mad. She feeds her, gave birth to her, went thru all that pain for her, only to end up a daddy's girl. But she loves all of them.

"What about forests?" Rick asks.

"As best we can tell only 19% of the land mass has forests. Most of that is here in the southwest area under the desert." Turner tells him.

"So where do we live? That's too far to move trees to make another lodge." Kate was thinking about all of them, bust mostly about her children.

"That's the easy part this time. You see we have 2 cargo ships out there filled with supplies. There will be three domes each is 140 feet in diameter at the base and 85 feet high, offering 15,000 square feet. These three will be part greenhouse, part recreation area. Attached to that will be several outer domes that will be smaller. Storage, showers, mechanical, etc.

Attached to that will be residences for all of us, a little smaller still. Some of us will have to share. Each section is pre-wired and pre-plumbed. All we have to do is put the parts together." Turner tells them.

"That sounds familiar somehow. … Give me a minute here. …. There were two projects. One was the Eden project, the other was, … Millennium Experience. That one is a very unique and iconic structure. Quite the building." Rick tells them.

"Tell me we have cranes this time." Rick didn't like the idea of building without them.

"Two actually, except we have to put them together." Turner answers his question.

"This sounds like it is going to take longer than the lodge did. Where do we live?" Kate is curious.

"It is going to take some time, however this time we have 3 different construction crews. Us, the crew of the Moon Shines and the crews of the two cargo ships. When the main dome is done the cargo ships and their crews will be leaving. The Moon Shines and its crew will remain until the outer domes are complete. Then it'll be up to us to build the outer most residential domes.

We live on the Sun Rises then transfer to the Moon Shines when Sun Rises leaves. Everything including the construction teams will be shuttled back and forth. I hope you two are ready. The shuttles we have are going to be very busy." Turner points out Rick and Kate.

"Oh and the Sun Rises will be leaving when the Moon Shines gets here. I hope Alexis has what we need." Turner adds.

Kate made a silent prayer. Kate had faith in her but she was a 13 year old girl. "Please sweetie." Kate whispers to herself.

"We know where, let's get started." Rick is ready.

Kate and Rick take turns for the entire construction staying on the Moon Shines to watch Emily and Kali. Except Kate has to come back up on shuttles every couple of hours, which is easy to accomplish at the rate they are cycled between planet and ship.

Rick however was having a blast. Shuttle pilots were more important than construction people. And Rick and Kate were getting in a lot of flight time.

It was now one month later:

Emily was actually walking, with a little help granted, but she was willing to try. Kali was also growing up fast. However neither Rick or Kate were getting a full night's sleep yet.

All three domes had their footings in place and the walls, if you can call them that, were now constructed almost to their peaks There was still a lot of work to be done on the inside of the domes.

Kate had just landed and unloaded another load of cargo when an unscheduled shuttle suddenly landed.

Kate watched it wondering what it was doing here. She watched to back door ramp open and a lot of people came out and someone in charge started directing them to various areas. Then a side door opened and someone stepped out and looked around.

Kate leaped up and opened her side door and ran for the other shuttle. "ALEXIS!"

Kate had her arms around Alexis as soon as she got to her. Kate pulled back after a minute and put her hands of each side of Alexis's face and kissed her over and over.

Kate wiped away a few of Alexis's tears. "It's good to see you pumpkin."

Alexis went back in for a hug. "I've missed you mom." Still with more tears.

Kate gave her a minute then pulled away from her so Kate could look at her. "How long have you been here?"

"We made orbit a few minutes ago. Captain Montgomery told me to take some of the crew down to help with construction." Alexis explains.

"You're a shuttle pilot too?" Kate was beyond impressed. "I came down with yet another load of supplies. I have to go back up soon to get another load."

"I have to go back up again too to get more of the crew." Alexis has to tell her. "Where's dad?"

"He's on board the Moon Shines looking after the girls. …. Ohhh that's right you don't know. We had another girl. Kali Lee Castle. …. She's already daddy's little girl. Your father is the only one who can get her to quiet down." Kate explains grinning.

"Dad has 3 girls now." Alexis was grinning.

"Yea, we girls rule." Kate is grinning to. "How was your trip?"

"Living on a ship is different mom, and that stuff you call food. …." Alexis makes a face.

Kate laughs. "You should see the face your father makes when we eat now. Emily however loves the stuff." Kate makes her own face about the food.

"Figures, it's baby food." Alexis scrunches her face again. Getting Kate to laugh again.

Kate squeezes Alexis again. "All my girls are home now. …. Where's Lucy?" Kate asks while not letting go.

"Lucy was great mom. She's still on board ship." Alexis tells her.

Kate pulls back. "I have a hundred questions and I know your dad will be happy to see you. I have to stop and feed Kali soon and your father will take over for me."

"Captain Montgomery wants me to bring down more of the crew." Alexis is forced to tell Kate even though she doesn't want to go.

"I'll get your father to come down for the next trip, you can meet him down here after your next trip. I'll talk to the captains to try and get you over to the Moon Shines so we can talk. And you need to see Kali, your new sister." Kate kisses Alexis again, still happy to see her.

"I'll let you go back for more crew. It's really good to have you back pumpkin." Kate kisses her again and lets go of her.

Alexis however latches back on again. "MOM, …. I love you."

Kate wraps her up in her arms again. "Oh sweetie I love you too." Kate kisses her again.

Kate goes back up to trade places with Rick but tells him nothing. Kate can give surprises too.

Alexis goes back to Sun Rises to pick up more of the crew to help with construction.

Alexis was sitting in her shuttle on the flight deck when she activated communications. "Lucy, I met mom on the planet. She was shuttling cargo down. She said dad was going to be next." Alexis was wanting them to hurry up so she could take off.

"Really, Kate is a shuttle pilot. What did she tell you about the baby?" Lucy wanted to know.

"It was a girl. Kali Lee Castle." Alexis tells her.

"Kali? Really?" Lucy sounded shocked.

"Yea, why?" It sounded like Lucy knew something.

"Kali was the name of a childhood friend of her's. Kate, Kali and Madison. They did everything together when they were young. Long before Kate's mother died. …. Kali, interesting." Lucy was a little shocked.

"What happened to Kali and Madison? Mom has never mentioned them." Alexis was curious now.

"Kali died in an accident and Kate lost track of Madison. Then Kate went into training to be a detective and it took up all of her time. I don't know why Kate didn't go looking for her after she made detective. They used to be inseparable, or so I was told." Lucy explains.

"I wonder what happened to them. … Lucy when is mom's birthday?" Alexis has a plan.

"To you it would be November 17, why?" Lucy was curious.

"Oh no reason." Alexis deflects. Lucy knew better but remains silent.

Alexis was given clearance to take the next group of the crew down to the planet.

Alexis requested clearance to depressurize the flight deck. Then she started opening the bay door. After the door was open Alexis asked for clearance to exit the flight deck then headed for the surface.

Alexis was going to wait there until her dad showed up, trusting that Kate would send him down.


	65. Chapter 65

**CH65**

Kate went into their room and took over watching Emily and Kali. "Your turn." Kate slaps him in the butt.

"I never knew cargo ships held so much cargo. You sure these ships aren't bigger on the inside?" Rick was still wondering where they stuffed all this stuff. Maybe their Oracle was a Gallifreyan from Gallifrey and the building was a T.A.R.D.I.S. God that would be soooo cool!

"That's not possible babe and even when they run out of cargo we'll be shuttling people back and forth day in, day out." Kate sounded like it was going to suck but she had a smile on her face.

Rick looked at her funny. Something was up, he just didn't know what.

"You better get going, these cargo containers are easy to load. They are probably ready for you by now." Kate had to get him out before she screwed up and spoiled her surprise.

"I'm going, I'm going." Rick gives her a quick kiss and heads out the door.

Kate checked on Emily then moved over to feed Kali.

Rick went thru his checklist finding his shuttle already filled with containers.

Rick landed next to another shuttle that he assumed came from the other cargo ship.

His side door opened and he twisted to look. "ALEXIS!" Rick tried rising while still strapped in.

Rick was suddenly all thumbs trying to get free. Alexis was laughing at his antics and crying at the same time.

Rick was finally free and wrapped his arms around Alexis. "It's good to see you pumpkin." Rick squeezes.

"I've missed you dad." Alexis mumbles thru the tears.

"How did you get down here?" Rick is curious.

"I flew some of the crew down to join the construction teams." Alexis explains wiping a few tears away.

"You flew? You're a shuttle pilot?" Rick was impressed and suddenly proud of her.

"Yup just like you and mom." Alexis tells him.

"Yea we've been going up and down for weeks now. …. wait how do you know your mother is a shuttle pilot?" Rick pulls back to look at her.

Alexis just starts crying again. Her dad had referred to Kate as mom again. "I met mom on my last trip down here."

"You met Kate on her last trip? And she didn't tell me?" Rick didn't know if he was surprised or mad.

"Mom said it would be her surprise." Alexis tells him.

Rick just starts laughing. The woman who hates surprises had just given him a big one.

"I have to go back up for more cargo. You want to come with?" Rick would love to have her in the other seat.

Alexis shakes her head "I have to go back up for more crew too. Then I'll be done till I have to bring them back up to the ship."

"Work, it sucks. … Are you coming over so we can celebrate?" Rick wants to spend some time with her.

"Mom is already making arrangements." Alexis tells him.

"I guess I'll have to kiss her instead of kill her then." Rick chuckles.

"I'll see you tonight pumpkin. It's good to have you home." Rick squeezes her again.

"I love you dad." Alexis whispers into him.

"I love you too pumpkin. It'll be good to have the whole family again. Even if we are all eating baby food." Rick was getting tired of pudding.

Alexis can't help but laugh. Alexis was ready to stop eating baby food too.

Alexis only had one more trip then she was told to go over to the Moon Shines. Rick however had an entire shift to go still.

Alexis was standing outside the door she was told to go to, and knocked.

"ALEXIS!" Kate swooped her up and tried to hold her. Setting her back down. "Did you see your dad?"

Alexis's tears were coming again. "I saw dad right after you."

Kate let's go of Alexis and literally drags Alexis inside so she can close the door.

Alexis has seen this size of room before. However this time there was stuff on the floor and on the beds.

"They're both asleep at the moment. This is Emily's side and this is Kali." Kate opens the curtain to show her.

Alexis kneels down onto the floor to get a closer look. "She's gorgeous mom." Alexis doesn't touch her though she is dying to, but doesn't want to wake her.

Kate pulls the ladder over and climbs up into the upper bunk. "Come on up pumpkin, I want you to tell me everything." Kate pats the bed.

Alexis climbs up and lies down next to Kate and soon finds Kate's arms around her holding her close.

They are both silent as Kate tries to suck Alexis into her while Alexis tries to melt into Kate.

Alexis wipes away a few new tears listening to Kate sniffle.

"Tell me everything pumpkin. I've missed you and I want to know everything." Kate squeezes her.

Alexis proceeded to tell Kate everything about the two month trip from Ariel to Earth then to Athos.

Alexis was soon back to crying and soon had Kate crying too.

"Oh sweetie, I knew one of us should have gone with you. I'm sorry. I'm a terrible mother." Kate felt responsible.

"No mom you're terrific. The best mom ever. We needed the information. I had to go." Alexis knew she paid a price for the information, but it wasn't Kate's fault.

"You're terrific pumpkin, but your father and I are responsible for you. We screwed up, I screwed up. I should have known better." Kate still felt responsible.

Alexis twisted round in Kate's arms. "You're the best mom there is." Alexis tells Kate with conviction.

Kali decided to make her presence known. "Sounds like we need to get up and down." Kate tells Alexis.

Alexis got down first followed by Kate.

Kate checked Kali and found her diaper was clean. "She either wants your father or she's hungry."

Since Kate can't fix the first one she decides to feed her. Kate climbs into the bottom bunk and takes her top off and grabs a towel. Kali latches on and starts feeding.

"If Kali is up Emily probably is too, you want to check her." Kate asks Alexis.

"Sure mom." Alexis starts playing with Emily and checks her diaper. It was wet and needed to be changed. "She needs a new diaper."

"The wipes, powder, oil and diapers are in that pile somewhere. These rooms are just not made for babies." Kate had to confess.

Alexis had Emily changed in no time and was soon holding her again, for the first time in two months.

"Hi, I'm your big sister. You remember me?" Alexis tries talking to Emily, then sits down in the lower bunk since there are no chairs.

Alexis puts Emily back down on the bed, and starts tickling her to get a smile.

Alexis soon had Emily smiling and wiggling and giggling. Then Alexis lifts her top and delivers the coup de gras. A raspberry on her tummy which has Emily giggling louder.

"You love raspberries don't you?" As Alexis gives Emily another one. Then Alexis switches to tickling getting Emily to squirm and giggle.

"We are going to get you!" Alexis raises her hands and dives in for another tickle.

Then Alexis lifts one of her feet and blows a raspberry on the bottom of her foot.

Emily is squirming for all she's worth giggling the whole time.

Kate was scrunched up in the lower bunk feeding Kali and softly crying while watching Alexis play with Emily.

How did she get so lucky? Her mother is killed, her father disappears into a bottle. She was all alone in a deep dark hole. Follows someone and ends up on the Horizon, and then ends up with Rick and Alexis. Followed by Emily and Kali.

Kate didn't understand what she had done right. Someone must be looking out for her.

Alexis however noticed Kate was crying thru all the noise her and Emily were making.

"Are you alright mom?" Alexis is suddenly concerned.

"I'm fine pumpkin. I was just thinking how lucky I am. I have a family. Something I was pretty sure I would never have." Kate's not quite sure how that got out of her mouth.

Alexis leaves Emily behind and moves over to Kate and climbs in on the other side of Kali who is still nursing. "We're the ones that are lucky mom. We love you." Alexis snuggles in closer.

"I just marvel at how I got here. I'm from another planet, find the perfect family on still another planet, and now I'm living on my fourth planet. And may never see my home planet again." Kate was simply amazed and it only brought more tears.

"Yea, it's cool isn't it. Living on another planet, flying shuttles thru space. Flying on a real live space ship to get to another planet. This is soooooo cool!" Plus having mother, a father and sisters. Alexis agrees, it was like a dream.

Then Emily puts up a fuss about being left alone, so Alexis gets up and goes back to play with her. While Kate watches both of them and taking peaks at Kali. Yup, things were perfect.

Rick however was going up, then down. So he could turn around and do it all over again, time after time.

It was a bit boring however every time he went up he went out into space to get to the ship, and each time was just way cool. "I'm flying in space!"

Rick's shuttle time was finally done and he found a note in his room. Stepping into the 'Dining room' he found his whole family eating. Kate was feeding herself while Alexis was feeding Emily. "Ladies!"

Alexis stops feeding Emily and jumps up and crashes into him "DADDY!"

"I take it you have met our newest addition." Rick wasn't really guessing since they were all here.

"She is gorgeous dad. Your eyes and mom's legs. She's perfect dad." Alexis looks up at him.

Rick steps over to the group that are around his family. "Turner good to see you again." Rick shakes his hand.

"Don't thank me, thank my wife, she talked me into doing this again." Turner tells him getting Rick to chuckle. "We've been going over what we've found since we got here. Miss Alexis has been informing us of what we have found."

"It's all from Earth again dad. All the plants, all the animals, everything. It's weird dad." Alexis explains. Alexis hands over the tablet with the list on it.

Turkey, kangaroos, frogs, dolphin, whales, dingo, Emu, turtles, possum (Rick knew just what to do with these guys), snakes, tuna, blue fin, countless smaller fish, shrimp, conch, and countless verities of birds.

More than 378 mammal species, 828 bird species, 4000 fish species, 300 species of lizards, 140 snake species, two crocodile species and around 50 types of marine mammal.

Rick with his speed reading has done in no time. "Kangaroos, seriously? …. It really is Australia. ….  
What is going on?" Rick is confused. "They move humans from Earth to Tellus but not anything else. Now there are two planets without humans but everything else from Earth. And still no dinosaurs." Rick was bummed, he wanted dinosaurs.

"I don't suppose this Oracle of yours answers questions in addition to giving information?" Maybe she had answers.

Turner just shakes his head. "I wish!"

"How's construction going?" Rick asks him.

"We've got about one more week to complete construction of the main 3 domes. About that long for the septic tank and drain field. Then one of the cargo ships will be leaving. As soon as all the cargo for the rest of the domes is unloaded it will be leaving too.

The Sun Rises will be leaving with the first cargo ship. Captain Montgomery has information he has to get back to Tellus thanks to Miss Alexis here." Turner tells them and Rick gives Alexis a hug and a kiss to the top of her head.

"Then it will be up to us and the crew of the Moon Shines to complete the construction of all the remaining domes. Since it is a nice modular system it should only take us a couple of months to complete construction.

The five of us are going to be spending that time working on the inside of the three main domes. These three are going to be our first primary greenhouses and recreation areas.

The outer domes will be kitchen, dining, showers and toilets, walk-in coolers/freezers, mechanical rooms (HVAC, plumbing, electrical), dry storage, rain water cisterns and of course Medical. There is even a server room in preparation for the satellites that will someday be deployed. Outside of those will be our rooms. They will be very bare until more cargo ships get here, but they will be cool and warm since a lot of the dome panels double as solar power and hot water. When the wind turbines get here we can add them to the power grid.

As soon as the next set of domes are constructed and the power system is up we can start hunting and gathering other food items. Then we can stop eating ship food." Turner looks right at Rick.

"Thank god! I don't know how much longer I can take eating baby food." Rick was happy and Alexis was smiling.

"Why are you complaining babe? I ate that food for a year to get out here." Kate chastises him. Then hands over a fussy Kali so Rick and his hands can calm her.

"I know, I know, and I still don't know how you and the others did it. It took my system at least a week to get used to it. …. What I wouldn't give for a burger. Even if it is a kangaroo burger. …. Is there an ice cream maker?" Rick prays.

Turner shakes his head. "Sorry, at this time everything is strictly basic."

"Washers, dryers?" Rick wonders.

"When they get here they go in the same general area as the showers and toilets. Till then we do it the old fashioned way. Which should only be for a month this time." Turner tells them smiling.

"Space for Lucy?" Kate wants Lucy back.

"In one of the secondary domes, yes. However we will have to wait for additional monitors for her to interact with everyone in the domes. That system is also pre-wired. We just need the monitors. Until just the one with the servers." Turner had to break the bad news. The cargo ships were big, just not that big.

"There is one more bit of news." Turner looks deflated. "It is likely that we will only get one cargo ship every two or three months. Most of the supplies will be going to Ariel. They want the farms there up and running as soon as possible.

Plus Tellus can only build and supply material for just so much. We are already stretched pretty thin back home. It will be interesting to see what changes come our way based on the information Miss Alexis here came back with. Building on a planet that is mostly salt water is going to be a big change."

Turner had been proved correct. As soon the main three domes were completed one of the cargo ships left orbit headed for Tellus and then likely to Ariel after picking up a load of cargo. The Sun Rises had left with them after dropping off Lucy.

Construction of the secondary domes had been completed and the second cargo ship had left orbit headed for Tellus. It was likely it to would be taking cargo to Ariel next.

That just left the settlers and the crew of the Moon Shines to complete construction of the housing domes. It had been decided that the Moon Shines would stay and help with completion of the housing domes, while the people who were staying were finishing the insides of the secondary domes.

The kitchen had to be put together, toilets and shower heads installed. As well as ductwork, water heaters and connect the panels for the walk-in's.

Rick, Kate, Alexis, Turner and his wife were just putting the finishing touches on the greenhouse gardens and the recreation areas when the Moon Shines also left orbit headed for Tellus.

The housing domes really were bare bones. A big open space with no walls, a small table with four chairs and mattresses lying on the floor for four adults. Rick and Kate pushed theirs together and started construction of the crib kit for the babies. They were not to Rick or Kate's taste, but beggars couldn't be picky.

Each housing dome was a lot like being in the lodge, just not as wide open.

Also when each ship left they left behind a shuttle, so they presently had four they could use.

First thing in the morning Rick and Turner went out hunting. Kate couldn't be gone from Kali that long since Kate had to feed her. Though that would change soon now that they had a walk-in cooler/freezer and a breast pump.

And Rick and Alexis had a surprise they were keeping hidden from Kate for when Rick did something stupid again. It was tucked away somewhere in the walk-in freezer so Kate's nose couldn't find it.


	66. Chapter 66

**CH66**

James Comey, Director of the FBI and John Brennan, Director of the CIA along with Rear Admiral P.M. Quast were walking down an underground tunnel from one building to the basement of the White house to attend a meeting.

Already there waiting for them were the President, vice President and Secretary of State.

"This better be good, they flew me all the way in from East China Sea. There is still a lot of action out there. China is still trying to flex its muscles." Quast was not happy.

"If it's for what I think, trust me, it's worth it." Comey tells him.

Since the corridor is safe but not secure there is no more talking. They are stopped at a guard station. All of them noted that there were extra guards here. And even after they cleared this station they found another one. This one however required their palm print, pass and security code that each of them had to perform.

From there they were escorted under guard to one of the situation rooms in the basement. They were locked inside with guards outside the door.

All of them find seats. The President asked Quast to inform all of them what happened that made a mess of the area.

"At roughly 8:02 am three Chinese coast guard vessels entered the disputed waters of the Senkaku islands claimed by Japan or Diaoyu islands claimed by China. They were challenged by three Japanese coast guard cutters.

One of these was the Japan Coast Guard "Shikishima (PLH 31)" which is the largest patrol vessel in the world.

One of the Chinese coast guard ships attempted to run across the front of one of the Japanese coast guard ships. At the last moment it turned into the Japanese ship and they scraped down the side of each other's ship causing damage.

According to recorded messages this Chinese coast guard ship strafed the side of the Japanese ship with small arms weapon fire. This caused one of the other Japanese ships to open fire with its 35 mm auto cannon and proceeded to sink the Chinese coast guard ship in question.

The two remaining Chinese ships opened fire with their 35 mm auto cannon.

During this engagement two of the Japanese coast guard vessels were sunk though most of their crew was able to abandon ship. The two remaining Chinese coast guard ships were also sunk with the help of the Shikishima.

During this engagement the Chinese launched 6 **Shenyang J-8** interceptor fighters to support their coast guard ships.

A local Japanese manned AWACS picked them up and 4 F-15C Eagles of the 44th Fighter Squadron were dispatched from the Kadena air base on Okinawa to support the Japanese coast guard ships.

One of the F-15C's was fired upon and destroyed with the loss of the pilot. The remaining 3 F-15C's fired on and downed all 6 of the Chinese Shenyang J-8 fighters.

Two hours after this encounter 12 Xian JH-7 FBC-1 Flying Leopard Fighter Bombers flying on the deck made a bombing run on the Kadena air base doing moderate damage.

The Japanese air base Naha launched 6 F-15C's to intercept and chase the JH-7's using the AWACS to guide them. All of the JH-7's were downed with no losses to the F-15's.

Roughly 2 hours later 32 Chinese CJ-10 Land to land cruise missiles were launched striking the Naha air base doing considerable damage. Roughly half of their air wing was destroyed along with their hangers and their maintenance.

The Japanese retaliated by sending a heavy strike force on the Chinese Yulin naval base. The caverns are capable of hiding up to 20 nuclear submarines from spy satellites. The harbor houses nuclear ballistic missile submarines and is large enough to accommodate aircraft carriers.

The Japanese only lost 2 units of their strike force and did severe damage to the base. It is believed that none of the caverns were destroyed; however all of the entrances have been closed due to the bombing. It will take the Chinese months to clear the debris enough for the submarines that are stationed there to exit.

The Chinese responded several hours later with a 1 kilo ton nuclear cruise missiles on Tokyo and the Kadena air base.

The Kadena air base was a total loss. There were approx. 7,500 people assigned to the Kadena air base." Quast ended his presentation.

"Condition of Tokyo" The President asks.

"We are still trying to get a good handle on that. The device was an air burst and the resulting EMP did severe damage. Nine commercial airlines had planes that were affected. Including their loss we have the number of dead presently at 230,000 people and climbing. Tens of thousands more will die of radiation exposure during the next 10 to 20 years." Brennan responds.

"And the Chinese cities?" The President asks.

"It is difficult to determine since we can't get people in the area, however it is estimated that each city is equal to the damage done to Tokyo." Brennan responds.

"And what are the Chinese up to now?" The President wants to know. Just how bad can this get?

"All communication between China and Taiwan has been suspended by the Chinese. There has been a large amount of movement of material to various naval bases. Also a large number of fighters, fighter bombers and bombers appear to be being repositioned." Brennan tells him.

"And the most likely reason for this is?"

"It is estimated that it would take the Chinese roughly 4 months to prepare for a successful invasion of Taiwan, provided that we did nothing." Quast answers the question.

"And what do we have in the area now?"

"There are now 13 bases in Okinawa, however with the loss of the Katena air base that leaves the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma as the only base on Okinawa with aircraft.

There are 3 carrier battle groups in the area along with an additional 2 ballistic missile submarines, 3 additional attack submarines and 3 cruise missile submarines.

Plus the Japanese have moved a number of coast guard ships and fast attack ships in the area. These assets are not likely to lend support should the Chinese decide to invade Taiwan." Quast responds.

The President was not happy. "All this for a couple of rocky islands that no one can live on anyway. …. And the chances they will invade Taiwan?"

"We believe based on their recent behavior that there has been a power shift in the government. Xi Jinping appears to be conforming to a more hard line attitude towards Western values. We have however managed to obtain a copy of what they are calling Document No. 9.

The first was "Western constitutional democracy"; others included promoting "universal values" of human rights, Western-inspired notions of media independence and civic participation, ardently pro-market "neo-liberalism," and "nihilist" criticisms of the party's traumatic past.

Since the circular was issued, party-run publications and Web sites have vehemently denounced constitutionalism and civil society, notions that were not considered off limits in recent years.

Some have said that constitutionalism and similar ideas were tools of Western subversion that helped topple the former Soviet Union — and that a similar threat faces China.

It may be 4 months or it may be 6 months. However it is highly likely that unless the Chinese leadership changes dramatically, that an invasion of Taiwan is inevitable."

"Try and work more Marine Battalion Landing Teams into the area as well as Marine aircraft support carriers. Take them from where you can get them. You have 3 months." The President tells them.

"What about North Korea?" The President asks.

"Thanks partly to the 3 carrier battle groups that had been transferred to that area earlier; we were able to push back the initial North Korean assault. As you know shortly after that we believe a small team using an undiscovered tunnel below the 38th Parallel and managed to infiltrate into Seoul with a small nuclear device.

However by small I mean it would barely fit in a Toyota Prius. The damage to Seoul is serious but not catastrophic.

Our forces over the weeks, months, have managed to push the remaining North Korean forces beyond their northern border and into China. There was a brief skirmish between our forces and Peoples Liberation Army of China. Minor casualties were sustained on both sides. At the moment what's left of the North Korean army with possible Chinese help are presently attempting lightly armed border crossings to disrupt the rear supply lines.

It is a variation of what we encountered in the Vietnam War years ago. We are presently making adjustments to deal with this threat." Quast informs them.

"And Russia?" The President changes subjects.

"As you know there has always been a corridor seeded to Russia to allow them access to their Black Sea Fleet when the Ukraine broke away from the former Soviet Union. The Crimea area has always had a large Russian speaking people and view the West as unfavorable. Maintaining a hard line against anything Western.

Also the Eastern area of the Ukraine is also pro-Russian. It was anticipated that those two areas would attempt to secede from the Ukraine. However we did not anticipate that Russia would decide to use military to take the entire country.

We have noted Russian forces moving towards Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. If our time table for what we think is coming, it will coincide with China's attempt at invading Taiwan." Brennan tells them.

"NATO and our forces in the area have been made aware of this and we have a diplomatic team in Moscow presently trying to prevent what looks to be coming." The Secretary of State tells them.

"If the Russians do invade it will mean a large full scale war in Europe again. And if someone pushes a button there could be a nuclear exchange. It needs to be prevented. Send additional people to Moscow if we need to, but this needs to stop before it gets any bigger." The President orders them.

The President decides to stay outside of the States for now. "And Israel?"

"Half of their country is still in the dark. However it is anticipated that a large section will have power within the next month or two. Our shipments of oil to them from our strategic reserve with naval escort have been successful so far.

Thanks to our own oil refinery problems our ability to give them support to repair the damage to their oil refineries has been minimal.

The Israelis have complete control over the Suez Canal. The Egyptian military is a shadow of its former self. Their air force was destroyed sitting on the ground. Their naval ships ship yards have also been heavily hit.

Next to nothing is getting in or out of Cairo without the approval of the Israelis. The Egyptian military leaders are presently in negotiations for at least a cease fire if not full capitulation. The only sticking point is the Muslim Brotherhood and the usual terrorist groups.

Hamas and Hezbollah are also a shadow of their former self. Their frontal attack not long after the oil refineries in Israel were attacked brought them all out into the open allowing the Israeli fire power to decimate them." Brennan explains.

"And our local news?" The President moves on.

"The cleanup of the oil refineries in Texas and Louisiana are continuing. We were lucky that none of the storage tanks caught fire. The primary damage appears to be mostly to the towers that convert the oil into various products.

We anticipate another 2 months to clean the mess and access how much damage took place so we can replace what was damaged. Another 2 months minimum to build the replacement towers. Another 3 months to get them in place and replace damaged lines, with another 3 months of testing to verify there will be no leaks and that the required safety measures are working properly.

It will likely take another 2 months to be back to maximum production of useable product, like gasoline, diesel, aviation fuel, home heating oil, etc." The Vice President informs them.

"Sales of gasoline have resumed, however the cost is excessively high, preventing most people from being able to afford it. ... In addition our plan for food distribution to local grocery stores for purchase along with the re-opening of banks is still in the planning stages. It will take a few more weeks to implement." The Vice President adds.

"The anticipated political fall out?" The President asks.

"As we all know the average American has a short memory. However this disaster will still be with us come election year. It is doubtful that you will be re-elected. It is also highly likely that the majority of Congress and the House will be voted out over this.

Only the super rich are going to survive this. It will take countless years to recover and get back to the way it was before all this. A lot of companies will have their doors closed permanently. Unemployment will be at record highs for years to come."

"One year and more! All because of one man. James?" The President informs the Director of the FBI that he is next.

"We were provided with a tip on the people that were in the U.S. from an outside source. With the help of the CIA we were able to determine out tip came from the Muslim Brotherhood out of Egypt.

He, along with a few others came into the country from various locations. Two came thru Miami, two came thru LA and two came thru a small border town with Mexico. The main man in charge actually flew into JFK from Spain.

They all met up in Corpus Christi where there were already two men with a warehouse of explosives. The tricks/vans were already loaded and waiting for them. By the time we got wind of them, the trucks/vans were already just outside of their destinations.

We have three men in custody. The two that collected the explosives and the man who lead the attack.

We are chasing down leads on how and where they got the explosives necessary for this size. The other man, …. Well he has given us quite a story.

Calls himself William H. Bracken. He speaks perfect English and perfect Russian. He has been repeating over and over again that he is from another planet. A place he calls Tellus. Seems an unknown number of years ago some alien species came to Earth and took humans from different countries and transplanted them to another planet.

He had a plan to become dictator of this planet but got caught. He then fled in a space ship that was coming here to make contact and set up a dialog between our two planets. He destroyed the ship and fled to our planet.

His shuttle crashed and he and one other managed to parachute jump out where he ended up just outside Cairo. The Muslim Brotherhood took him in and he picked up his old plan on our planet." James tells them.

"Seriously another planet? Space aliens kidnapping humans and taking them to another planet? You sure he isn't delusional?"

"He is adamant about where he came from. I think he expects us to let him go in exchange for technical information or maybe what this other planet is planning on doing." James counters.

"Like that is going to happen." The Vice President mumbles.

"As crazy as it may sound he may be correct." Brennan tells them. Getting everyone to look at him funny.

"I've been talking with General Ralph E. "Ed" Eberhart, USAF, head of the U.S. Space Command. One of their tasks is to track objects that are in our orbit. Most of it is space junk from previous launches throughout the years.

Seems just before all of this he had two new contacts that were in high Earth orbit. It was big. Bigger than anything we have save for one of our air craft carriers, but only just. One minute it wasn't there, the next minute it was.

A short time later the shit hit the fan and he noticed an object leave its location. It was smaller and it went into New York City where it was picked up by air traffic radar. A pair of F-15's out of the 192nd Fighter Wing were sent to intercept.

This object stayed in downtown NYC for just under 3 minutes. It then left the area and went into Earth orbit were it met up with this larger object. It left our 15's in the dust.

Prior to this event we noticed an unauthorized access to several locations using our internet. It lasted roughly 15 minutes in length. We were only able to generalize the area which just so happens to coincide with where this bogie went to." Brennan tells them. "The FBI has teams searching the area but it is a large area and will take time."

"So assuming the guy I have is correct, this new object was a second space ship from his planet. Likely sending down a shuttle or pod of some kind to pick up operatives located on our planet in NYC who stole information just before leaving." James summarizes. "Do we know what they got?"

Brennan shakes his head. "Not enough time. We've only just managed to piece it all together now. But there is more. A lot more.

Only a month ago another object came close enough to Earth to detect. However it never achieved Earth orbit. It only achieved an orbit of our moon. Immediately after that we detected a massive intrusion using our communication satellites. They started downloading a massive amount of data.

One of the satellite owners actually turned his satellite off to prevent continued access. Right after this we found that one of our spy/communication satellites had been hacked into. Our encryption had been broken and data from the CIA mainframe was being downloaded." Brennan pauses.

"MY GOD! …. How is that even possible?"

"We don't know, yet. We haven't as yet figured out what it was they got. However before it went very far the order was given to fry the satellite. Essentially the electronics on board ate themselves. We now have a very dead spy/command and control satellite that is now space junk.

After this occurred there was a lull of activity for almost 24 hours. Then it picked back up again and another massive amount of data was downloaded. It blew thru everyone's firewalls like they didn't exist.

We're still working on how much or what they got.

When this last burst of download ended the object left lunar orbit and we haven't seen it again." Brennan concludes.

"So we have aliens from another planet who are humans from this planet attacking us. So they are the cause of all this?" Quast questions.

"We don't think so. Well not entirely. The mess with Japan, North Korea and Russia appears to be local. However your information about a ship in orbit gives credence to what Bracken is saying as to being truthful." James tells them.

"He escaped their planet and decided to try again on ours. They send a second ship to pick up their observers/spies and then steal a vast amount of information and then disappear." The President speculates.

"They detected our nuclear exchange got what they could and got the hell out of dodge." Quast questions.

"We need an analysis of what they took. Keep working on it. If they come back we need to better understand what their motives are. They obviously can get to us while we can barely get anything into orbit let alone another system.

Did he happen to tell you how long it took him to get from there to here? And where is there?" The President asks.

"Just over a year, and he's a politician it seems. He has no technical knowledge. No idea where his home is located." James answers both questions.

"So unless they decide to come back we aren't going to be meeting them anytime soon."

"Possibly not in our lifetime, or our children's lifetime, or possibly even our children's children."

"Keep working on our friend from space. We need to know everything he knows. But it seems our more pressing problem is what China and Russia are planning on doing next. … If we're not careful here, our friends from space are going to find a radioactive ball floating in space when or if they return.

Maybe what they stole will secure the memory of our ever having existed in the first place."


	67. Chapter 67

**CH67**

The President, Vice President and Secretary of State left the meeting room to get on with the items for the day. This left the others still in the room.

"Humans from this planet who come back to this planet so they can steal stuff." Quast was curious.

"They only started stealing AFTER the tactical nukes were used. Until then they were living in downtown NYC, probably under aliases." James corrects him.

"But less than a year elapsed before they came back to steal massive amounts of information and hack into the CIA mainframe. Yet this Bracken guy tells us it took a year to get here." Quast points out.

"So either Bracken is lying, they have developed a new form of propulsion or they have a base in our system somewhere that we don't or Bracken know about." Quast speculates.

"Bracken is too much of a coward to lie. Even getting an FTL that would take us a year to get to the closest system will take generations, so suddenly gaining a new drive system that is faster is out." Brenan tells them.

"That just leaves the possibility that they have a base in our system somewhere. Close enough they can keep an eye on us and swoop in a steal information just before we blow our planet to hell and gone." James guesses.

"They'll need a supply line of some type. They need food, water, medical supplies. Countless things. Not as big as the George Washington (CVN-73) but bigger than the Charles F. Adams (DDG 2). … I wonder how long they've been here watching us?" Quast is curious.

"And why didn't we pick up any communications between the two groups?" Brennan questions.

"It was small you say. So the people they picked up was not a large group. Maybe just two or three people. What were they doing? How did they live? Where did they get their money? To live in NYC means they understand our system.

If they were here long enough they will have learned a lot." Quast guesses.

"Setting up fake ID's is easy. It will take a lot of ground work to chase down everything. If their computer skills are that good they could be anyone, but there would be no physical paper trail." James tells them.

"New York is a big space, lots of people." Brennan cautions.

"We'll find them. Or at least where they used to be. Maybe a search of that will give us a clue." James tells them.

The three people that had just left suddenly come back into the room. "We have a new problem."

Designated by WHO as having serious pandemic risks, bird flu, a.k.a. avian influenza, is common among wild birds. (An estimated 150 million birds have been put to death throughout Asia and Europe due to the virus.) Though cases of human infection have been reported since 1997, the first outbreak among domesticated poultry. So far only seven deaths related to bird flu have been reported globally, the disease is highly transmittable from poultry to humans via direct contact with infected birds or contact with surfaces infected by avian feces or secretions. Once a person is infected, the disease causes pneumonia-like symptoms and has high fatality rates. The H5N1 variation of the disease has caused the most severe cases in humans, but currently requires very close contact to spread from person to person.

"The CDC is telling us that this is a mutated version of the previous bird flu and is so far resistant to anti-biotics.

The primary problem is that they think ground 0 or patient 0 is in the Southeast Asia area."

"Rear Admiral P.M. Quast, your orders are to assist and provide military support for the WHO and CDC personnel that will be going to the area. China may be trigger happy but we can at least talk to them. Virus's aren't interested in where I or anyone else live.

If it gets out of control China and Russia will be the least of our concerns. Get going." The President tells him.

"Rick what are those?" Turner asks him since they are out hunting for the first time.

"Those my friend are Emu and they are tasty. You know if we can capture enough of them we can create an entire farm and breed them ourselves. We won't have to go out hunting to kill them and haul them back.

If Kate was here we could stun a bunch of them. We just need a corral to hold them in. Feed them and water them and we will be in business." Rick tells him.

"We'll just have to add fence material to our list." Turner tells him and they both shoot one and take their prize home.

Only a small number of people moved over from Ariel. The rest of the colonists are new from Tellus. The people from Ariel know about Rick's ability to cook and are dying to have their first meal that isn't ship food. The others are going to have to learn.

Turner and his wife are dropping their dishes off in the kitchen. "Rick you haven't lost your touch." Turner tells him.

"You are good Rick." Turner's wife tells him.

"Thanks guys, …. and gal. It feels good to be cooking again. But I'd cook anyway; I've had all the baby food I want to put up with." Rick tells them. Getting the two of them to laugh as they walk off for the evening.

Rick had everything put away and ready for breakfast in the morning then headed for his family's room. He found Kate feeding Kali and Alexis feeding Emily.

"Pumpkin what are you feeding her?" It looked familiar.

"Baby food dad." Alexis gives Emily another spoon full which Emily eats easily, even trying to help get the spoon into her mouth.

"You mean ship food." Rick makes a YUK face.

"Yup, it's good for you and she loves it." Alexis giggles knowing how much she was glad her dad was cooking again.

Rick moves over and gives Kate a quick kiss. "Any plans for the evening?"

"Actually Alexis has an idea about that." Kate tells him.

"Do tell." Rick turns to his daughter.

"When Emily and Kali are down to sleep we can move our little table and three chairs into the next dome where Lucy is and play Monopoly Zapped. We all still have our iPhones." Alexis offers up hoping her dad likes it.

"Sounds like a plan to me. It'll be good when we get all those monitors installed." Rick likes the idea.

Kate jerks her head to look at him with a smile on her face. "Rick." Kate motions for him to come closer.

Rick steps over and leans down as her finger beckons him to do. "Yes Mrs. Castle?"

Kate reaches up and pulls him down so she can kiss him. Using her tongue to wipe across his lower lip asking for entrance. After access is granted Kate deepens the kiss and searches his mouth to obtain his taste.

After breaking from the kiss but not letting go of him. "I love you."

Rick grins. "I love you too." Then Kate lets go of him.

"I hope mother is enjoying herself." Rick was missing her actually.

"I'm sure she is fine. She has her students and she gets to perform on stage to an audience that wants to know everything she can teach them. Martha looked happier than I've ever seen her." Kate tells him.

"Grams is acting again dad. It's what she's always wanted to do. Now she's always the lead character." Alexis adds.

Rick was out and sitting back watching both Alexis and Kate take a beating in Monopoly from Lucy. Lucy was demanding her money and enjoying every second of it as Kate could just moan and hand over all but $5.

Alexis got lucky on her next roll however Kate was soon gone, leaving only Alexis and Lucy.

"You are going down little lady." Lucy tells Alexis.

"I think your CPU is damaged. You're experiencing a fantasy episode." Alexis counters.

"Scanning the word, fantasy. ….. HA! In your dreams munchkin." Lucy counters.

"Munchkin!?" Alexis sounds shocked but has a smile on her face.

"Oompa-Loompa?" Lucy modifies.

"Ohhh you are soooo going to pay for that, …. HAL!" Alexis counters.

"Scanning, …. I have no information on an, Hal." Lucy has to admit. Then growls at Alexis for winning that round.

Alexis smiles since she at least won something since she was in big trouble in the game.

Alexis ended up in jail and had to play the game on her iPhone to get out. Two roles later she was history.

"Three cheers and a tiger for me, I have won!" Lucy sounds off.

Kate was smiling. Lucy was having fun. Kate may be adapting to having a family and it appeared so was Lucy.

The four of them were all in the greenhouse area of one of the three domes. Kate, Rick, Alexis, Turner and his wife Eileen. Emily was walking around trying to help but was really just making a mess, but she was happy. Kali was presently nearby Alexis and was sleeping.

One of the domes was being used as a garden. The other two were mostly trees with a place to walk a trail, BBQ, with a table and chairs. Right now they were putting the finishing touches on the trees. It was going to be years before they produced fruit, but they had to start somewhere.

Macadamia Nut tree

Cedar Bay Cherry

Davidson Plum

Sandpaper Fig

Australian Outback Lime

Blood Lime

Sunrise Lime

**Lemon Aspen**

**Kakadu Plum**

Someone entered the dome they were working in. "There are a pair of shuttles landing outside."

Everyone stopped and went outside. Kate picked up Kali while Rick picked up Emily.

"Captain Montgomery, it's good to see you. Is it just you?" Rick asks him.

"Castle, detective Castle, Miss Alexis, Turner and Eileen, good to see you all. And yes it's just me. Your next cargo ship will not be for another two months, maybe three.

We've found that we may have over extended our ability to fabricate items and send material. Most of it will be going to Ariel. The Council really wants those farms to start producing. Plus those two big towers.

Plus they found they had to change construction materials to send to here. The information that Miss Alexis brought back turned out to be an eye opener.

But I have a lot to leave with you." Roy did not come empty handed.

**Four Quads**

**2 washing machines and 4 dryers**

**A complete medical setup**

**3 monitors for the 3 main domes. 1 monitor for all the other domes**

**Expansion of the server space for Lucy**

**A large amount of farming equipment. Most of which needs to be assembled.**

**Two Hydrogen creating and fill stations for the farming equipment and Quads**

**Crates of clothing, medical supplies and monitoring equipment, as well as personal hygiene items. **

**Furniture for all of the housing domes. All of it is 'Some assembly required'. Code for all assembly.  
**

**Parts for 3 windmills. Control panels, wiring and 30 batteries**

**Solar hot water system and piping to connect to the existing solar panels**

**Piping and pump to get water from the local stream/river, plus a filtration system with UV light**

Roy managed to pull Rick off to one side when he had him alone for a moment. "I've also got you what you asked for." Roy hands it over and Rick pockets it.

"Thanks I owe you one. I don't know what's on it but I'm hoping Kate likes it." Rick was taking a risk.

"I gave him what you gave me and gave him time for a response. He looked thin but he had a good color to him. I didn't ask too many questions. He is working however." Roy tells Rick.

"Good to know." Rick and Roy parted to prevent Kate from getting suspicious.

The Sun Rises had left and wouldn't be back for at least three months or more. In fact they didn't expect to see anyone for 3 months. Roy did however leave with their lists.

Rick had finished making dinner and was all cleaned up when he went home.

Kate and Alexis had spent their time putting the furniture package together. Two futons, two end tables, one coffee table, three beds and four privacy screens made up of 3 panels each.

Rick didn't sneak up on Kate this time, he made sure he could hear him coming. Still he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. "Hi Mrs. Castle." Rick snuggles in close.

Kate humms. "Hi Mr. Castle." Kate leans back and puts her hands on his.

"I've got something for you to see." Rick tells her.

Kate twists her head a little to try and look at him. "Oh?"

"Come with me." Rick takes Kate's hand and starts pulling. "Watch the girls pumpkin?"

"Sure dad." Alexis was more than willing. Not knowing what her dad has in mind.

"Where are we going Rick?" Kate asks as they leave their space.

"Not far." Rick sits her down in front of Lucy.

"I've got a little something for you to see. It's just a recording." Rick tells her and hands over an Optical Data Chip.

"I'll leave you to view it." Rick kisses the top of Kate's head. "I love you." And Rick leaves to go back to their dome.

Kate was worried now. What was on this thing? Rick didn't even give her a clue.

"LUCY?" Kate was hoping she had an idea.

"I can't help you Kate. I have no idea what is on it. Honeymoon plans maybe? Floor plans for your home on the island? Something about Earth he hasn't yet shared with anyone?" Lucy didn't have a clue.

Kate took a deep breath and plugged the chip in and someone popped up on the monitor.

"Hi Katie."

Kate slapped her hands over her mouth and inhaled sharply with tears starting instantly.

"DAD!?" The tears were falling down her cheek fast.


	68. Chapter 68

**CH68**

Lasik surgery tomorrow so i need to post tonight. If i miss a day, my apologies, but i have an excuse.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Kate could tell that he was sitting and could see some of what looked like a small room behind him.

"I'm not sure where to start. …. At the beginning I guess. A Captain Montgomery came to see me and told me he had something for me." Jim holds up an identical looking Optical Data Chip just like the one Kate had plugged in.

"He wouldn't tell me what was on it or who it was from, only that it was about you and he would be back in a few days to pick up my reply if I had one.

I'm not even sure you are still listening to this. If you're not I don't blame you. …. I haven't been much of a father the last few years." Jim looks down and stares at the floor for a time and remains silent for a time.

"OH DAD!" Kate mumbles out wiping away tears.

"You probably won't believe me but I've been sober for just over two years now." Jim holds up his 2 year celebration chip to prove it.

"It even has my name on it. …. I'm even working again. It's not like it was before, … but it feels good." Jim pauses as he looks to be working up the courage.

Kate meanwhile still has her hands over her mouth as she stares at the monitor still crying tears.

"I was surprised at what is on this thing." Jim holds up the chip again. "I suppose I shouldn't be, I've been out of your life for so long.

Seems you have had quite the adventure. …. Travel to the planet that is almost just a legend. If what is on this thing is correct, you found it. Plus a whole lot more.

He must love you a lot. He asked me, after the fact it seems, for my blessing for him to marry you. …. He looks like a handsome fellow. Told me a little about how you two met. …. Explained how much he loves you." Jim pauses again and looks at the floor. Then lifts up and seems to be concentrating.

"RICK!?" Kate whispers out and more tears start falling and get wiped away with the back of her hand.

"He even had his daughter say a few words to me. …. That is quite a head of hair that girl has." Jim chuckles a little.

"ALEXIS!?" Kate whispers out with still more tears.

"That young lady seems to love you a lot. She caught herself calling you mom and corrected herself several times. Told me a little bit about her other mother and how much she loves you and why. …. I may be an ass and you have reason to hate me, ….. but that woman. …. to ignore the very existence of your very own child?" Jim shakes his head and wipes away his own tears.

"OH PUMPKIN!" Kate just fell in love with Alexis a little more.

"I'm really sorry to have missed your wedding Katie. I should have been there for that. …. I should have been there for a lot of things. Sorry seems like such an empty word to be using. Maybe someday you can forgive me and I can prove just how sorry I am for leaving you to grow up without me." Jim pauses and wipes away a few of his own tears.

"DAD!?" Kate manages to whisper threw her own tears and sniffles.

"Your husband, Rick, even lifted up a little bundle of joy for me to see. He said you named her Emily Jo Castle. Jo after your mother's name. She's gorgeous Katie! …. Your mother would be proud of you. …. He even told me that you are expecting again. That living on the colony planet meant you didn't need to adhere to our population control rules.

From no children to three and I'm not there for any of it. My arm hurts already from where your mother would be pounding on it." Jim laughs at himself and rubs what would be his sore arm.

Kate just grins with her mouth still covered. It did however tell Kate when the chip he has was made.

"I'm so proud of you Katie and happy that you found or made a family that loves you enough to do this. Those two are quite the pair. Did you know that, that fiery red head called me Gramps?" Jim chuckles and wipes away more of his tears.

"I'm a grandfather! Do you believe it? … Ok, maybe you do since this isn't new to you, but I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it.

Your husband, Rick, begged me to come out to you and spend some time with you and your family. He said something about drowning you in chocolate if that was what it took for you to let me. Not that I know what chocolate is, but it sounded like something that would convince you." Jim pauses again to gather his thoughts.

Kate was smiling wide and busy wiping tears away. They didn't have chocolate at this colony and according to Alexis Australia didn't have coco beans.

"He talked about having me come out no later that after your home finishes construction. …. A family and a home on an island. …. If only your mother was here to see that." Jim pauses again and smiles at Kate amazed out how her life has worked out for her.

Kate could just sit there smiling behind her hand while nodding her head, already hoping that her father comes out to spend some time with her family.

"This Captain Montgomery is supposed to come by tomorrow to pick up this recording and give it to your husband. Rick said something about he wanted it to be a surprise. Try not to be mad at him Katie. I know how much you hate surprises, or at least you used to. It sounded like he loves them so maybe he has managed to change your mind about them.

It also sounded like it might be months before I hear anything back from you or him. Provided I hear anything at all. I probably don't deserve another chance Katie, but I would like to at least see your family. You don't have to talk to me. …. It's alright.

I hope you are doing well honey. It sounds like you are happy and that's all any parent can really ask for. … I just want the best for you Katie. Just love your family and I'll be happy.

I suppose I should end this. … Just be happy and love your family Katie. That's enough for me. …. I love you Katie" Jim smiles at her and reaches in to turn the recording off.

Kate could just sit there crying in large body shaking sobs. Lucy remained silent and didn't say a thing.

It took Kate several minutes before she could regain a semblance of composure.

"You think mom is ok dad?" Alexis was worried. Kate had been gone for what seemed like a long time now.

Rick was a little worried. Not that something had happened to Kate. He was just worried that Kate couldn't forgive her own father. Jim had lost the love of his life.

Rick knew if he lost Kate his pain would be at least equal to what Jim had felt at losing Johanna. He had even explained that to Jim in his recording.

"I don't know pumpkin. Kate lost her mother and her father has been almost as gone in her life.. … We took a big risk pumpkin." Rick really was worried. Him and Alexis had inserted themselves into her past talking to her father without her knowledge.

"He's her father dad." Alexis thought that was enough. He was Kate's dad.

Kali was sleeping and Alexis was walking around helping Emily walk around while playing with her when Kate came flying into the room still crying.

Kate launched herself onto Rick who was sitting on one of the Futons. Kate grabbed a hold of him and started kissing him all over his face.

"Thank you, thank you. … I love you, I love you!" Kate went back to kissing him all over.

When Kate stops she wipes away some of the tears that only helps a little since new ones take their place. Kate sniffles and wipes her nose. "I take it you're not mad at our little surprise." Rick is grinning since it seems it went over pretty good.

Kate just tries to clean up the mess on her face and shakes her head. Kate looks up and sees Alexis playing with Emily and raises her arms asking Alexis to be in them.

Alexis is more than happy to walk over with Emily and end up in Kate's arms. "Is everything ok mom?" Alexis was hoping they weren't in trouble.

Kate shakes her head. Then tries to find her voice. "Everything is perfect sweetie. I love you." And Kate kisses her. Then let's go of her and grabs Rick and kisses him. "Thank you Rick. …. You two are amazing." Kate was smiling and wiping away more tears.

"I take it that it won't take much to get you to let Jim come for a visit someday soon?" Rick pulls out one of the very few chocolate bars that him and Alexis had brought with them and were hiding in the walk-in freezer.

Kate starts laughing thru her tears and takes the chocolate bar and shakes her head. Kate opens it and runs it under her nose moaning in joy.

Kate takes her first bite just as Rick tells her. "Good, because I already told Roy to bring Jim with him the next time he comes back. …. Which should be about 2 months or so from now." Rick is grinning. "Jim and a bed for him to sleep in since we don't have a spare. Since I don't think we want anyone sleeping on these back breakers." Rick tells Kate, meaning the Futons.

Kate instantly stopped eating, which was no small feat. "You invited my father to come here? Here, here?" Kate looks at Rick totally shocked. Stuck between chewing on her latest bite of her chocolate bar.

"If he'll come without knowing your response to this all, yes." This was where Rick and Alexis were hoping the chocolate bar was working.

Kate didn't know what to do or say. So she took another bite of her chocolate bar, went back to crying and nodded her head.

Kate knew she loved Rick. This only cemented it. The chocolate bar was helping Kate from having a heart attack. She loved him and her family so very much.

"Good because I already told Captain Montgomery to bring Jim with him next time he comes. Even if Jim says no, Roy is supposed to Shanghai him and bring him down on the first shuttle." Rick tells Kate.

Kate with chocolate bar in her mouth looks at him funny. "**Shanghaiing** refers to the practice of kidnapping people to serve as sailors by coercive techniques such as trickery. …. for a good cause." Rick was smiling.

Kate nibbled off a piece of her chocolate bar and started chewing while smiling at Rick.

Her father was coming in about 3 months. And if he was still here after the Sun Rises left, he could be here for another 3 months, minimum.

"So my dad is coming even if he doesn't want to?" Kate whispers out. A little afraid her dad would say no.

"I told Captain Montgomery to not give him a choice. I also sent him another recording. …. I all but begged him to come. I even put Kali up on the screen so he could see the newest addition." Rick tells her.

"He knows Kali's name?" Kate questions. While looking scared and takes another nibble.

"Yea, …. why?" Rick looks at her sideways with a questioning look on his face.

"There's something I haven't told you." Kate drops her hands and chews on her latest nibble. "It's nothing bad, just something.

When I was little I had two of my best friends. We did everything together, went everywhere together. We told each other everything. …. We would argue over boys. Tell each other all our little secrets.

One was Madison Queller, the other was, …. Kali Walker. … We all went to a construction site one day. We wanted to watch all those overly muscled shirtless men work.

We managed to get the attention of two of them and flirted from a distance for days. Then one day we got bold and went onto the site to get closer to them. I think secretly we wanted to run our hands over all those muscles.

We found out after the fact that we had too much of their attention too. They missed the next thing the crane was delivering and there was an accident." Kate had stopped eating her chocolate bar and was crying now.

It all happened so fast." Kate's lower lip was quivering.

"The next thing Maddie and I saw was Kali's mangled body lying under a pile of debris. … Kali was always more bold than either of us." Kate was crying a little more heavily as she relived that moment one more time.

"Kali had stepped in closer than either Maddie or me. She swore she was going to be the first to get her hands on him. …. I can still see her broken and mangled body covered with dust and debris."

Rick moves in and wraps his arms around Kate letting her cry it out. Rick was quietly crying with her. Even Alexis who was sitting on the floor holding onto Emily was crying.

It was several minutes till Kate calmed down a little. "That's why you named her Kali." Rick understood why now. It seemed fitting. Kate got Kali back in her life. "What about Madison?"

Kate sniffles and wipes away a few tears with the back of her hand. "I lost track of her after my mom died. I feel into a deep dark hole at that point in my life." Kate switches which hand what's left of her chocolate bar is in so she can wipe away tears on the other side.

"I know where she is mom." Alexis speaks up for the first time.

Kate looks at her shocked. "How, …. how!?"

"After I got back from Earth and found out about Kali I used Lucy. Lucy told me she was a childhood friend and that you lost track of Madison.

I used Lucy and Captain Montgomery to help me look for her. I was planning on using her as a birthday present for you." Alexis whispers out.

Kate grabs a hold of Rick just to remain upright. "You, … you found her?" Kate stares at Alexis praying mightily.

Alexis nods her head. "She's a nurse now. Specializing in Trauma Care. She's taking night classes to be a doctor. She's still not married and told me there was no one special. If she said yes she should be on the same ship your dad comes here on." Alexis tells Kate.

Kate let's go of Rick and is down on the floor next to Alexis dying to wrap her up in her arms. "You talked to her?" Kate couldn't believe this.

"I have her on a chip. I was saving it for a surprise." Alexis shrinks a little knowing how much Kate hates surprises.

Kate however moves in and wraps her arms around Alexis and starts crying again. "I love you pumpkin, …. so very much." Kate holds Alexis tight for a minute. Releasing Alexis a little so Kate can look at her. "You found Maddie and she's coming here?" Kate needed to make sure she heard correctly. This felt like a dream.

Alexis nods her head. "I invited her and told her that she was my birthday present to you. She seemed excited to see you again. She knows where we are and why. She mentioned something about trying to get you her own birthday present.

She said something about she was dying to tease you about being a mommy." Alexis tells her.

Kate starts laughing and hugs Alexis tight again. "Maddie would." Kate pulls back and starts covering Alexis with kisses. "My dad and Maddie on the same ship. … I am so screwed!"

"You're not mad I ruined your surprise birthday present?" Alexis knew her birthday was months away still.

Kate continues to laugh. "Oh pumpkin, this is the best birthday present I've ever gotten. Even if it isn't my birthday yet." Kate goes back to kissing Alexis over and over.

Then Kate has a thought and turns to look at Rick. "Where are they going to stay babe?"

"Captain Montgomery has already taken care of that mom." Alexis tells Kate still in her arms.

Kate turns back to look at Alexis. "Pumpkin?"

"Captain Montgomery is going to bring another dome kit for us to put together for them to stay in." Alexis explains.

"How long have you two been plotting behind my back? …. On second thought, don't answer that. …. You two are amazing." Kate wipes away more tears and hugs Alexis tight again since she already has a hold of her.

Alexis for her part relaxes and melts into Kate's arms.

"Since you are in such a good mood about our combined secret there is one more we should tell you about." Rick tells Kate.

Kate is wondering what this one is about and starts to let go of Alexis. However Alexis keeps her hold on Kate.

"You remember Tigger." Rick starts off.

"You mean the Tigger that you two sneaked food out to for months?" Kate asks them.

Rick's mouth falls to the floor. "I'm a detective babe. Besides I knew you two weren't going to let him go that easily." Kate lets them in on her secret. "You didn't actually think I believed you when you said he followed you home did you?" Kate looks at Rick smiling.

Rick chuckles. So much for their secret. At least they managed to keep one. "For the record he did follow me home, regardless of what you think. And he was still too young to be on his own. We had to feed him. I even left some of what my traps caught behind for him to find. So he could get used to eating fresh kills." Rick adds to his not so secret revelation.

"You two are still amazing." Kate is still impressed and loves both of them.

Since Kate is still with Alexis. "Does Mag's know about Kali?" What did Alexis tell her.

Alexis however shakes her head. "She only knows about me and dad."

Kate starts laughing. "So I get to blow Maddies mind when she gets here. This is going to be EPIC! …. We're all going to need ear plugs." Kate warns them.


	69. Chapter 69

**CH69**

Lasik surgery was Friday and thanks to the Valium they give you i slept most of the day away. Post surgery appointment went well on Saturday. Sunday now and things are still a little blurry, and I'm told the amount of work that was done and my age it will be like that for about another week. I'm suppose to take lots of breaks at work and not over do it.

So far so good. Since I'm eleven chapters out in front I'll keep the updates coming.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It is now just over two months later:

Kate was bursting at the seams. Day after day Kate is hoping for a shuttle or two to land signaling that the Sun Rises was in orbit. Without the satellites that Ariel has they were in the dark for communication.

The colony itself was doing great. Rick and Turner went out hunting. Only problem was, the island didn't have any big game. Kangaroo and Emu was about as big as anything got. What they needed was a boat. But before they could go fishing with a boat they needed a dock. They also needed a dry dock to build the boats that were going to go fishing on.

They didn't even have a net or a small boat.

"You need to relax Kate, you're going to burst a blood vessel." Kate was pacing their home doing nothing. While Rick was typing for his next book. Alexis was in her element working on her greenhouse or was outside in her garden.

The garden outside wasn't any bigger than the one she had at their summer home back on Earth. Without the people they didn't have the need for a bigger one yet. Though they had managed to put all the farm equipment that was dropped off last time together for use later.

"Kate will you sit down. It's hard to concentrate on my typing." Rick is after her again.

Kate plops down on one of the Futons. "Fine!" Kate crosses her arms. However with her legs crossed, the free leg is restless and starts banging the coffee table.

Rick puts closes his laptop and puts it down, convinced he isn't going to get any work done, and decides to stare at Kate instead.

Kate stops kicking the coffee table and uncrosses her legs. "Sorry babe."

Emily wearing only a diaper is now awake and decides to get up. "Mama." As she runs across the room to crash into Kate.

"Hey Emily, how is my little girl?" Kate catches her and lifts her up. "Ooooo, someone needs her diaper changed doesn't she?" Kate coos at her.

Kate takes her over to where she can change her. A few minutes later she has a new diaper and is dressed. Complete with her own flip flops.

Kali decided it was time to be noticed, and fed. "You go play with your daddy." Kate tells Emily.

"Emily?" Rick calls her over so Kate can tend to Kali.

Emily runs over to Rick and crashes into him almost losing one of her flip flops in the process. "Mama."

"Dada." Rick corrects her.

"Mama." Emily yells at him.

"Dada." Rick tries again.

"Mama." Emily tells Rick again.

"You're going to lose babe, might as well just go with it." Kate tells him while changing Kali's diaper too.

Rick grabs Emily and has her flying thru the place with Emily squealing as she goes. "I'll have you know mama was NOT the first word Alexis said." Rick points out. Swooping Emily down for a landing on one of the Futons.

Kate knew exactly why Alexis had not said mama as her first word. Suddenly remembering Meredith quickly had her blood boiling. What that bitch had done to Alexis was more than criminal.

"How about a walk thru the main domes before you start lunch?" Kate offered since everyone was up.

"Sure we can get the girls out, maybe even outside." Rick liked the idea.

Kate handed over Kali to Rick since she still loved his hands best. Kali didn't need to be fed for a couple of hours anyway.

Kate stopped at Lucy to tell her where they would be in case Alexis came in looking for them.

The four of them were slowly making their way thru the second greenhouse swinging Emily as they walked getting her to squeal and laugh on each swing. "Gin" Emily urged them on.

"My arms are getting tired. You run and I'll chase you." Kate offers instead.

Emily squeals and takes off giggling as she goes. Kate has no problem walking to keep up with her right behind her.

Kate suddenly surged forward and swooped in and started tickling Emily, getting her to laugh even louder and try to run faster to get away.

Emily was doing the best she could to get away from the tickle monster, when she stopped to look around to see if she was still being chased. Happily the tickle monster was nowhere in sight.

Problem was no one else was in sight either. No mama and no not mama, so she decided to start looking for them.

It was only a few seconds but to her it was already way too long. "Mama?" Emily kept looking.

Emily didn't see mama, not mama or the tickle monster, but she did see someone else come running her way, so Emily ran for her. As soon as Emily got close she raised her arms wanting up "Lex."

Alexis came running up to Emily completely out of breath. Alexis reached down and swooped Emily up. "Where's mama?" Getting Emily to look around.

Kate however had heard a new voice and stepped out of the trees. "Alexis?" Kate calls out walking over to her.

"What were you doing?" Alexis was all set to give Kate a piece of her mind for leaving Emily all alone.

"We were playing tickle monster. We were hiding in the trees waiting to sneak out." Kate explains. "Are you alright pumpkin?" Kate has noticed Alexis is out of breath.

Alexis takes a few breaths. "Two shuttles were coming in to land a couple of minutes ago." Alexis gets out finally.

Kate straightens up. "They're here!" Kate was suddenly scared. "RICK!, … BABE! …. they're here." Kate yells out.

Rick steps out of the trees carrying Kali. "They're here?"

"I'm a mess Rick." Kate suddenly tries straightening her clothes and runs a hand thru her hair.

"All they're going to see is the same thing I see every day. … A beautiful woman who happens to be a great mother." Rick corrects her.

Kate softens her features and gives Rick a quick kiss for his remark. "Come on Kate, let's go greet them. … You can do this."

Rick with Kali in his arms heads for one of the doors that leads to the landing area. Kate picks up Emily and Alexis follows right behind Kate.

The shuttles had already landed and the doors were open with people getting out when the four of them reached the area.

Kate was scanning the area to see if she saw anyone she recognized. When she spotted a blonde haired woman come running right at her.

"K-BECKS!" Madison yells and slams into Kate hugging her close.

"K-Becks?" Rick questions, but the two of them ignore him.

"Hi Mags." Kate tells her with tears starting.

Madison pulls back. "Look at you Becks, all grown up living in the middle of nowhere." Madison was grinning wide.

Madison looks past Kate. "You must be Alexis. I'd know that head of hair anywhere." Madison kneels down to hug Alexis. "I owe you big for doing this."

Kate snaps out of it. "Mags, this is Rick, my husband. You seem to know my daughter Alexis. This little one is my daughter Emily. And the little one Rick is holding is my daughter, …. Kali." Kate cringes.

"KALI!? … You named her after, …." Madison launches herself at Kate and hugs her tight. "You named her after Kali. …. She would be amazed and proud of you." Madison lets go of Kate and turns to Rick.

"Can I?" Madison holds out her arms.

"Of course." Rick hands Kali over.

"Hello little Kali. …. We're going to be best friends, you wait and see." Madison coos at Kali and strokes her cheek. Getting Kate to start crying again.

Madison starts bouncing her and turns to Kate. "You know your dad is on this ship."

"Hi Katie." A new voice speaks out and all heads turn to look.

Rick and Alexis recognize Jim from the disk they both watched. He was a little taller than they imagined and looked really thin. Rick figured he could fix that if he could convince the man to stay long enough.

Kate was barely standing now and crying a little heavier. "It's good to see you Katie." Jim tells her scared out of his mind about what comes next.

A crying Kate who can barely see walks right at him and wraps her arms around him. It takes Kate a minute that Jim takes every moment of to have his daughter in his arms again. "Hi dad."

"You look great Katie. You look healthier than I remember." Jim notices. Kate had lost all the pregnancy weight she had gained thanks to all the nursing and running and exercises that she still loved to do.

"You're too thin dad. …. But we can fix that. Rick is a really good cook." Kate tells him.

"You have real food?" Madison perks up. "Not that, …. that, ….." Madison didn't have words for it.

"Baby food." Rick offers.

"Yeah, baby food. It's a good thing I'm not going back again. I don't think I can eat that stuff again." Madison tells them all.

Kate and Rick however had heard it. "What do you mean not go back?" Kate asks wiping tears away still holding onto her father.

"Ooops, …. I had planned on saving that for later. …. I was told you have an A.I. unit and I brought all my remaining class work with me. I finish that and pass my exam, long distance, and I'll be your new doctor. If I don't I'll just keep trying. Until I do, I'll be your new nurse." Madison tells Kate and the others.

"Your, …. your, staying here?" Kate couldn't believe it. Becks, Mags and Kali back together again after all this time.

"If you'll have me." Madison was suddenly worried.

Kate however lets go of her dad and starts dancing like she has seen Alexis dance before and starts squealing. Kate comes up short of Madison since she is still holding Kali, then moves in slowly to hug her. "We're going to put the gang back together." Kate tells her. Getting Madison to start laughing.

Roy steps up to Rick. "Why don't you take everyone inside, we'll unload the shuttles and be back in time for lunch."

Rick thanks him. "Come on Jim let's get everyone inside."

Kate has a hold of Madison who is still holding Kali. Rick picks up Emily and Alexis takes Jim's hand. "Come on Gramps, this way." Alexis pulls.

Jim however melted and stumbled along with her.

The only real place for everyone to sit together was in one of the recreation areas in one of the main domes.

"So married with three daughters. I don't remember that being one of your greatest desires Becks." Madison starts out.

Kate blushes. "Yeah, times change."

"I lot by the look of it. Last I knew only Detectives could wear what you are wearing." Madison points out the weapon on Kate's arm.

Kate lifts her arm. "Yea, … Mom was dead, dad was, …. didn't really have any place to live. A man found me living on the streets and took me in. Turned out he was a Master. He gave me a place to live and taught me everything he knew. Called me one of his best students.

He talked me into training to be a detective, then he died of natural causes. I took what was left of my life and applied it to my training. I had a mission. I wanted to find the guy who had killed my mother and I worked hard to find him.

Ultimately I figured out who did it but I couldn't find him. He had disappeared.

I was wondering the back streets all alone. I ended up near the signing station for the Explorer ship Horizon. I saw a man enter into the building. There was something about him. I'd never felt like that before for a long time.

Not since that first day the three of us were at that construction site." Kate tells them. Getting Madison to giggle remembering that day.

"I never found him inside the building. I don't know where he went. But I ended up signing onto the ship for a three year stint.

Then I found the guy who killed mom, he was on my ship." Kate paused a little embarrassed about exposing her soul yet again.

"Katie?" Jim asked. His daughter knew something he didn't.

"It was Bracken dad. He had joined up with the "Rags" and had replaced all of the security team with "Rags" and had one come in with a suicide bomber and killed everyone. …. Sorry dad." Kate looked at the floor.

"Bracken. You're mother never did like him. She had the two of us investigating him. Your mom called me that day to tell me she thought she had something; she just needed to find something. But she didn't tell me it was about Bracken or what it was.

She told me to wait until she got home. ….. Except she never made it home. And I disappeared into a bottle. …. He was on your ship? What happened to him?" Jim perked up a bit.

"He blew it up killing everyone. I tried to stop him but he got off the ship and I escaped in an escape pod." Kate explains.

"Mom crashed in dad and I's campsite. She was injured and we fixed her." Alexis adds.

"It's where I met and fell in love with Rick and Alexis." Kate tells them blushing again.

"I knew you'd find a man Becks. I just didn't think you would have this big of a family to go with it." Madison had to admit.

"Yeah, neither did I. …. Then Captain Montgomery showed up and thanks to Lucy we got to talk to him. Then we all ended up on the first colony world Ariel. Mostly thanks to Alexis, she's a genius when it comes to plants." Kate was still proud of her.

"I've heard a lot about there being new farms on the new colony world. They've got the industries on Tellus working constantly to send them supplies. …. That's you?" Madison looks at Alexis.

Alexis just shrinks not used to all the attention and just nods her head.

"And Becks was found by you." Madison comments.

"I got lucky. I could have landed on Earth anywhere." Kate comments.

"Oh Becks you know better than that. Or at least you used to. You've changed a lot. Maybe I should go back." The Kate Madison remembered seemed to be gone.

Kate jumps up and goes over to Madison. "No Mags, there is more to it than that. It's just, ..." Kate looks around.

Madison gets the hint. "You can tell me later." Madison whispers just loud enough for only Kate to hear.

"Thanks Mags." Kate whispers back.

"What happened to Bracken Katie?" Jim asks dying to know if the guy who killed his wife paid a price.

"He found my planet's "Rags" and caused a lot of trouble. A lot of trouble. A little before we left Earth he was picked up by the FBI." Rick tells him.

"FBI?" Jim didn't understand.

"Federal Bureau of Investigation. They search and arrest people who do the more larger crimes on Earth. …. Which means he's sitting in prison as he spills his guts about everything he knows about Tellus." Rick explains.

"Would they believe him babe?" Kate was now worried.

"BABE?" Madison teases.

"Shut up." Kate responds back giggling.

"Depends on if they connect him to when Alexis downloaded all that information and if they spotted any of your ships in orbit. He talks and they connect him to one of your ships then the United States at least is going to know what he knows about Tellus and believe him.

And they did send interceptors after the shuttle that picked us up." Rick tells them all.

"What does he know Becks?" Madison asks hoping she knows enough about him to answer.

"He's a politician, though he was on the council. Depends on what he remembers from school when they taught us where we are." Kate answers.

"Did you have Lucy, Katie?" Jim asks.

"Yea, I managed to save her before the ship exploded. But everything she knows is a part of her. So when we downloaded her and left Earth everything she knew went with her. She didn't leave anything behind." Kate tells them. "You know about Lucy?" Kate didn't see how her dad knew.

"Captain Montgomery, Madison and I have been talking for the last month." Jim tells her.

Kate turns on Madison. "Mags?"

"Your father was the only person on the ship I knew. We talked about a lot of things. I'm so sorry Becks. I knew her death hit you hard I just didn't understand how hard. We were practically inseparable. You, me and Kali. Even our families did everything together. It was like having three mothers and three dads. …. I hadn't seen your father for a long time either.

When Captain Montgomery found me I jumped at the chance." Madison tells her and pulls out a chip.

"Plus your daughter told me a lot. I couldn't resist Becks. …. Losing Kali is what got me into medical." Madison confides while bouncing Kali.

"Not meaning to break this up but I need to start putting lunch together for the colony." Rick informs them.

"Can we watch or help. I'll eat anything so long as it isn't ship food." Madison begs.

Rick, Alexis and Kate all start laughing. Seeing Madison's face. "Inside joke, I'll explain later." Kate tells her still giggling.

"Come on, Rick is a really good cook." Kate invites them into the kitchen with Rick.

Madison goes still carrying Kali, Alexis walks with Emily and Kate goes with Jim.

After lunch they all pitch in with the colonists and the crew of the Sun Rises to build them their dome to sleep in. They had to spend the evening after they were done putting the furniture package together so they had some place to sit and sleep on, with the 4 screens to separate their sleeping areas.


	70. Chapter 70

**CH70**

They all spent the next few days unloading the shuttles of cargo that the Sun Rises had brought with them.

Monitors to connect to Lucy for her to interact with everyone in the colony. Including a few outside.

2 more quads

lots of new kitchen equipment and supplies

2 more windmills to construct

crate after crate of personal items and feminine products

several crates of sheets, blankets, pillows. Everything an extended stay hotel would need for months

A dome for guests like Madison and Jim

Parts to build 2 Ultra Lights

Parts to build 2 cranes

Materials and equipment to build a silo for storage

"The Council would like for you to use the 2 Ultra Lights with the attached high resolution cameras already attached to survey a construction site for the first city identical to the two being built on Ariel.

They also want you to find a site for the first dry dock for ship construction." Roy asks of them.

"Why not use the shuttles?" Rick questions.

"You will be, however these will give you more time over the target area than the shuttles can provide, plus Tellus's construction abilities are stretched thin.

The next shipment will be in 3 months minimum. However it will consist of 2 cargo ships and the Moon Shines who will be placing satellites in orbit just like the ones at Ariel." Roy explains.

"Speaking of Ariel how goes construction there?" Rick is curious and now has Kate's attention.

"Excellent actually, both city towers are framed to over 60 floors. They are still having trouble with the tunnel. The machine is only doing 12 feet a day on the good days, they are now weeks behind schedule and it doesn't look like they will ever be able to make those up." Roy is forced to deliver good and bad news.

"Any complaints that we left them for a new planet?" Rick was curious.

"A little. Seems your cooks you left behind only know the basics. No one is going hungry, but they do miss the more complex meals you would prepare. …. And so far no problems with Alexis's replacements. Though that is likely to change should they get an unexpected freeze or insect problem.

If you're trying to find out if you are missed, the answer is yes." Roy chuckles.

"Good thing we are not likely to need a tunnel here. So what are they planning with the 2 cargo ships." Rick questions.

"Most of it will be dealing with dry docks for ship building. Lots of supplies, equipment and people to build them." Roy explains.

"Is that were they want the two cranes?" Dry Docks were just big holes in the ground except for the cranes you needed and the buildings to build parts in.

"No they want them were the first city will start construction. They are just looking to get a head start for the required pilings." Roy explains.

"We can manage." Rick is convinced.

"Well I'm leaving in two days, so if your guests want to leave with me you will need to tell them. Otherwise their next ride will not be for 3 months on the Moon Shines, minimum." Roy cautions and heads for his ship.

"Sounds like we need a family and friend meeting." Rick suggests.

"I'll find Maddie if you want to find my dad. … Rec area?" Kate suggests.

By the time Rick finds Jim and gets him to the meeting site, Madison is sitting there with Kali in her arms, while Kate and Alexis are playing with Emily.

"The Sun Rises is leaving in two days; Captain Montgomery wants to know if anyone is going back to Tellus with him." Rick gets right to the point.

"I brought everything I own with me. What I couldn't bring I sold or gave away. I came here with the intention of staying, unless you don't want me to." Madison starts first.

"Oh Mag's, of course we want you." Kate moves over to hug her as best she can with Kali still in her arms. "Besides Kali seems to already love you. I think the only one she likes more is Rick, but then she already did like him even before she was born." It still bugged Kate a little that she was such a daddy's girl.

"She is amazing Beck's, you've got me jealous." Madison had to confide.

"Well maybe when the construction of the dry docks start we'll just have to take you down there so you can watch all those muscled guys working." Kate teases. Getting Madison to laugh.

"Only if we can keep our distance this time." Madison was smiling. Getting Kate to giggle.

Rick turns to the only person left. Watching Alexis walk over with Emily following her.

Emily had stopped next to both of them and raised her arms. What she wanted was Alexis to lift her up, however Jim took it has meaning him, so he knelled down and lifted Emily up.

"Please Gramps." Alexis asked him. Her and her dad had gone to a lot of trouble to get him here.

"Do you have work you need to go back to?" Rick asks Jim.

"No, … no I handed over the few clients I had to someone. It didn't seem fair to them to come here for a couple of weeks or more and leave them hanging. …. Should I stay?" Jim was looking at Rick but it was more for Kate to answer.

Kate didn't hesitate and walks from Madison over to Jim. "We need to talk dad, and we can't do that if you're not here. We have lots of space." Kate tells Jim. With an 'I want to talk to you' face.

"What do I do here? There isn't much here." Jim knows there are no cities, not really any place to go.

"You leave that to us Jim, we'll come up with something. The first thing that comes to mind is babysitting." Rick tells him as Rick looks at Emily who he is holding. An Emily that is doing her best to try and put her fingers everywhere, including in his mouth.

Jim chuckles lightly. "It's been a long time since I've taken care of a baby."

"You'll do fine dad." It's as close as Kate is going to come to ask him to stay.

"I'll go find Roy and tell him he can leave when he is ready." Rick makes the decision for him and leaves the group.

The entire colony spent the next week putting their new items to good use. The last of the monitors was being installed and just needed testing by Lucy.

Rick was putting the new kitchen equipment to good use and was presently working on his second batch of 6 quarts of homemade ice cream,

The two cranes were still in parts. They had only gone looking for a site for the city or dry docks only once so far.

Both of the ultra-lights were built and had been tested. A couple of the colonists had fallen in love with them and were using Lucy to learn all they could about them.

The windmills had gone up within the first two days.

Alexis and Kate were presently outside looking over the area to start planting for a large garden. They had the farming equipment. They needed a garden to choose a location to build the silo. It needed to be close by to the garden.

Jim found that he was good at planning and getting people together for construction projects. At the moment he was going thru the colonists looking for people to work the garden. They needed people to man the machines that were going to be used to prepare the fields. Plus they needed people to build the silo eventually. Jim kept track of what needed to be done and who was doing it or who was available.

Madison was in love. It was the only way to express it. When she wasn't in the medical area working or studying using Lucy, she was in Rick and Kate's area looking after Emily and Kali.

At the moment she was sitting watching Emily play while feeding Kali with a bottle Kate had prepared after using the breast pump. "You're so cute; I can see why your mommy loves you. And I'm going to tell you everything about the first Kali. …. She was so much braver than either Kate or me. If you were sad she knew just what to do." Madison pauses and the tears start.

"I can still hear the last words she spoke, and see her broken body buried under a pile of rubble. …. They were too old for us, not that, that stopped Kali. …. She never did get her hands on anyone's muscles that day or any other.

And all I did was go thru more one night stands than I can count. …. It took me a long time to wake up.

I think, … I hope this is the perfect place for me. Beck's is back and I get to do the best I can for the new Kali. Something happens to you over my dead body." Madison wipes away a few tears.

What Madison hasn't learned yet is that Lucy hears everything with all these new monitors.

Alexis and Kate had decided on a garden spot and where presently staking out a location for where the silo should go. "We still need a dry dock location." Kate comments.

"Dad and I are going to handle that tomorrow. Take one of the shuttles with two of the quads. That way we can actually be down on the ground to feel what it is like. It's going to be a really big hole, but it needs to be solid enough to support the weight of the cranes." Alexis informs Kate sounding happy since she was going to get to use the quads.

"You really like those things don't you." Kate kinda asks.

"They're tons of fun mom. Didn't you like it when you went with dad? I'm sure you talked did into letting you drive." Alexis questions.

"I did but I wasn't going very fast. They seem kind of dangerous if you are going fast." Kate remembers the day she saw Alexis fly down the trail in search of her father so long ago now it seemed.

"Dad had that problem at first too. However the more you ride it the better you get and it's not so scary anymore." Alexis assures her. Then sees the look on Kate's face. "What mom?" Alexis stops Kate.

"It's nothing. I was just remembering the day I saw you fly down the trail when the flairs at the summer home went up into the sky. It seemed reckless and watching you do that scared the crap out of me. I thought sure you were going to kill yourself on that thing." Kate tells her still worried about her being on quads.

"That was the day you told dad you loved him." Alexis remembers. "I'd gone a lot faster than that before. A whole lot faster." Alexis kicked herself for saying that.

"When was that?" Kate was curious now.

"MOM?" Alexis wasn't sure she needed to hear this.

Kate wrapped her arms around her. "Pumpkin, talk to me. I promise I won't be mad."

Alexis didn't like this idea. "We had found you in your giant sea urchin and we were headed back to the house. Dad ran out of gas and I went ahead to the house to get more gas. Then I ran out and had to walk to the house to get some more.

While I was doing that some wolves attacked you and dad. I heard shots not knowing it was dad doing the shooting. I raced back down to dad as fast as I could. I could barely see where I was going with all the tears. I was so scared." Alexis soon has tears as she remembers that day.

Kate holds her tight. "Oh Pumpkin." Kate kisses the top of her head. "I love you so much. I think I'm always going to worry that something will happen to you." Kate squeezes her a little tighter.

"First it's wolves and then I let you go all alone back to Earth for two months. Now you're in charge of feeding an entire planet or two, … or three. I fear we are asking you to grow up too fast. You're only 13 sweetie. I wasn't doing any of what you are doing at that age." Suddenly Kate could hear Martha's words to her from that one day about being a mother.

Kate suddenly saw herself as more mother than detective. It was amazing and frightening all at the same time. And Kate wouldn't change a thing.

"Since we're all done here, how about we go back and give Mag's a break from watching the girls." Kate offers kissing the top of Alexis's head.

"You sure you're happy she's here mom?" Alexis knows how much Kate hates surprises.

Kate who hasn't let go of Alexis yet, simply squeezes Alexis again and kisses her again. "Yes I'm happy Maddie is here. She's the best birthday present I've ever had. …. Thank you!"

They found Madison with Kali down sleeping while she was asleep with Emily lying on top of her in Madison's arms.

"Where's my phone?" Kate whispers out, and goes in search of her phone so she had a picture of this.

Rick came in a couple of hours later. "Hi Kate." He calls out since she was who he saw first.

Kate twists around and puts a finger over her mouth. "Sshhh!"

Rick just looks at her funny till he sees Emily sleeping on a sleeping Madison with Emily in her arms. "Where's my phone?" Rick starts looking.

"I've already got a picture babe." Kate whispers out.

"Oh please tell me you don't have a picture of this." Madison mumbles out with her eyes still closed.

"I just need to find out where your parents are so I can send it to them. They'll love to know you've had a child." Kate teases.

"You wouldn't dare!?" Madison counters still with her eyes closed.

That just managed to get all three Castle's to start laughing. "I'm going to go start dinner. …. Just a reminder I need to go hunting tomorrow. The freezer is starting to get empty." Rick cautions.

"You add ice cream and I'll consider forgiving you for taking a picture of this." Madison counters.

"Ice cream it is then." Rick steps up behind Kate and places his hands on her shoulders and kisses the top of her head. Then heads for the kitchen.

"Emily needs to get up or she won't sleep tonight." Kate warns Madison.

Madison starts jostling Emily awake, then sits up with her when she is awake enough. Putting Emily down to stand on the floor. "MAMA!" Emily runs over to Kate to slam into her.

"Hi sweetie, did you have fun with Aunt Maddy?" Kate coos at her.

"Oh don't call me that! You make me sound old!" Madison protests. Getting Kate to laugh. "You've changed Becks. I don't remember you being able to sit down and do nothing this long." Madison has been here long enough to see Kate relaxing. Well as relaxed as a mother with two young children can be.

"I learned to relax when I was with Rick and Alexis at their summer home on Earth just after I crashed there. Though it was a struggle. Though being trapped there for months may have helped." Kate points out.

"Trapped? You mean they locked you up?" This was news to Madison.

Kate laughs loudly. Kate shakes her head. "The house was in the middle of nowhere, and it was only accessible by going over a small bridge. Except a storm washed out the bridge trapping us there."

"Forcing you to stay and fall in love." Madison guesses.

"Yeah about that. …. Pumpkin can you watch Emily and Kali for a few minutes?" Kate wanted to be alone with Madison to explain this.

"Sure mom, we'll meet you in the kitchen." Alexis was willing.

Kate gets up and kisses the top of Alexis's head. "Thanks pumpkin."

The second they were outside and alone. "Ok Beck's, pumpkin?"

Kate proceeds to explain the endearment. "That's cute Beck's!" Madison loves it.

"Ok Beck's why did you get on Horizon? You trapped yourself in a prison practically, and the food! Plus when you left you had to eat that, that, …. for a year. . … Start talking." Madison wanted answers.

Madison didn't once interrupt Kate and was silent after Kate was done.

"Mags talk to me." Kate couldn't take the silence.

"I'm jealous, maybe I shouldn't be but I am. By the sounds of it you got lucky. I mean you could have crashed anywhere, literally anywhere. But no, you crash where the man in your dreams is only yards away. … And then you're trapped with him so you can fall in love with him.

You don't want to know how many men I've slept with trying to make the pain of losing Kali go away. I'm so ashamed of myself.

That message I got from Alexis was like a breath of fresh air. My old best friend had found me. It allowed me to get out of town and finish my classes. … If I was actually trying to finish I could have done it last year. But I was just cruising feeling sorry for myself.

Then that little red headed angel found me and here I am. … I've been doing nothing but studying and watching Kali since I got here. …. This time I'm going to be there for her, and not stand there crying over her broken body.

I swear Beck's, Kali only dies at an old age of natural causes if I have anything to say about it. … and even if I don't." Madison wipes away a tear.

Kate didn't know how to answer that.

"I'll give you a clue Mags, if you want your life to get better, …. stay close to Alexis. If you meet a guy and wonder about him, introduce him to Alexis. She has a skill I don't understand. … At first I thought it was just with plants, but there is something about her. I don't mean she has some super natural ability, but she has a gift. An innocence maybe … Maybe she'll lose it as she grows up and maybe she won't. Maybe she can only help others and not help herself, I don't know.

Maybe you don't believe me, but she found you and got you here. And she helped Rick get my father here. And she made it easy for me to fall in love with her and Rick. And watch her with Emily and Kali, she's a natural…. Just stick close Mags, you'll see." Kate grabs hold of Madison's arm with both of her hands. "Come on dinner is probably ready, and trust me, it isn't baby food." Getting Madison to laugh loudly.

Feeling much better about herself, Madison goes with Kate to go eat good food, and get closer to Alexis.


	71. Chapter 71

**CH71**

The two women who had taken a liking to the Ulta-lights had done several passes of the area that Rick thought might be a good place for some dry docks.

The bay looked perfect and the inlet off of the bay looked even better.

Rick and Alexis had just landed and were exiting the shuttle on their Quads to look the area over. The rode their quads all over the place having a little fun before getting down to business.

"Let's see that layout of Colombo that you brought back with you." Rick asks of Alexis.

Alexis rolls it out on the ground and places some rocks in the corners.

"4 dry docks, 213,107, 122 and 263 meters in length for each. 26, 18.5, 16 and 44 meters in Breadth. 9.7, 6.7, 5.5 and 8.9 meters in depth. A capacity of 30,000 – 9,000 – 8,000 – and 125,000.

And we need workshops, and a train station for the workers. Their layout looks like it should work here.

I hope they understand we need some really big equipment to make holes in the ground this big. Even the workshops are going to need cranes.

They've built giant towers before, I hope they understand what it takes to make ships." Rick thought maybe they had bitten off something they couldn't chew.

"It's all on what Lucy downloaded dad. All they have to do is read it." Alexis was sure she had everything they would need.

"Maybe, but those shuttles can only bring down things of just so big." Rick worries.

"They will have to build them first with the parts." Alexis guesses.

"This is going to be a lot of work." Rick was glad he wasn't the one doing it.

Kate came into their dome huffing and puffing and sweating profusely after having done a few mile run, but all she found was Alexis sitting on a Futon working on a tablet. "What are you doing Pumpkin?"

"Lucy gave me a test." Alexis answers never looking up.

"Under the watchful eye of Lucy I see." Kate teases.

Alexis looks up at Kate and then over to the monitor. "I never really thought of that." Then goes back to her tablet.

"You know where your father is?" Since it was just her and Alexis.

"Cooking." Alexis answers studying her tablet.

"And your sisters?"

"Madison came by and took them to medical." Alexis answers never looking up.

"Do you know the answer to everything?" Kate was impressed and worried.

"I guess we're about to find out." Alexis answers still working on her test.

Kate just grins. Convinced she just heard some Rick in that response.

Kate grabs some clothes, kisses the top of Alexis's head and heads for the showers.

Kate's next stop was Medical. "Hi Mags, I'm told you have my girls."

"Hi Becks, yea Alexis was studying or something and I figured it was time for a physical. … They both have the beginnings of an ear infection. Not uncommon for children. If one gets it they all get it. … It should clear up soon and not present a problem." Madison explains.

Then Emily with one of the two nurses steps out. "MAMA!" As Emily runs across to slam into Kate and hold on.

Kate bends down and lifts her up. "And how is my little girl today? Maddie tells me you had an owie."

Emily slaps her hands over her ears. She didn't want to get poked and prodded again, so she had to protect them.

"How about we go see what your dad is cooking?" Kate offers up to Emily.

"I can watch Kali if you like." Madison offers.

"She needs to be fed in about an hour." Kate reminds her.

"We'll be there, I promise." Madison crosses her heart.

Kate puts Emily down. "Come on let's go see what dada is doing." Kate takes her hand and starts walking.

"Mama." Emily corrects her.

"Dada." Kate counters.

"Mama." Emily knows she is right.

"Dada." Kate tries again.

"Mama." Emily tries one last time.

"Well at least the first word out of Kali isn't going to be mama. It might be Mags, but not mama." Kate laughs at herself on the way to the kitchen.

It is 6 months later now:

Jim had stayed and was now in charge of construction. He knew about everything that was going on and where. He even had knowledge of what was planned and when. If you needed a worker because one was out sick, injured or just taking a much needed rest, Jim was your go to guy.

Emily was turning out to be a track star. Nothing slowed her down. She was running all of them ragged trying to keep up with her.

Rick had finally gotten the word "Dada" out of her. Kate was still "Mama". Alexis was "Lex" and Madison was either "Mad" or a horrible "Mags".

Even Kali looked to be ready to say her first word. She seemed to be working up to it. Everyone was rooting for themselves to be the first and doing their best to try and coax it out of her.

Kate and Madison were way outside the colony having a little fun. Madison had stopped and pulled off her helmet and waited for Kate to catch up and do the same.

"These quads are a blast Becks. Why didn't we have these when we were young? …. Just imagine what we could have done with them." Madison was grinning big time.

"We'd have been arrested is what would of happened." Kate counters remembering those days.

"Maybe?" Madison wasn't conceding defeat that easily.

"You remember those three boys with their little sail bikes out in the dunes." Kate thinks back.

Madison started laughing. "The one that flipped his and had to walk it back because he broke is mast off at the base." Madison remembered.

"We could have thrown sand in their face with these things." Kate is laughing.

"Right up to the point where would have run out of hydrogen and begged them to help us push them home." Madison is still laughing.

"Then our parents would have grounded us." Kate was also still laughing.

"Except Kali would have sneaked out and gotten us to do the same so we could all get into even more trouble." Madison and changed to just grinning.

"She would have talked us into riding these things in the first place." Kate remembered her old childhood friend.

"She always was more brave than either of us. …. You weren't the only one who suffered when she died you know." Madison turns serious.

"I know that now Mags, but we were just kids back then. Plus she was the glue that held us together. Without her, …" Kate trails off.

"You weren't the only one hurt when your mother died either. All of our families were close. …. At least until Kali died. It was fun having three mothers and three fathers.

We each got to have 2 sisters, in a place where you were destined to be an only child." Madison tries to convey her pain too.

"I'm sorry Mags. Really sorry. I just got caught up in her loss. Then dad got drunk and never recovered. …. Taking him to the hospital. Being told that his heart had stopped more than once. …. I was losing my whole family." Kate didn't really want to relive this, but maybe Madison needed to hear it.

"You could have let us help you. Mom and dad asked me about you constantly. They took losing Kali like losing one of their daughters. Then they lost Johanna, Jim stopped calling and wouldn't see them. Then they lost you.

It seemed like our family crumbled overnight." Madison wiped away a stray tear that escaped.

"I was in a deep dark hole by then. I wouldn't have even recognized myself if I had seen me. I was a mess and didn't see a way out. My childhood was gone and I wasn't ready to be an adult, but I didn't have a choice." Kate wiped away her own tear.

"You know Kali's parents are divorced." Madison informs Kate.

Kate covers her mouth to prevent anything from escaping.

"They lost their only child, they lost Johanna and Jim. Then they lost you and then they lost, … me." Madison had to take some of the blame.

"YOU?" Kate didn't see how that was possible.

"You remember I told you I had a lot of one night stands?" Getting a nod from Kate.

"Well it wasn't a lot. … It was a whole lot. …. You were in your deep dark hole and I was in mine, going from guy to guy. It wasn't pretty Becks. … I might still be there or dead if you're Alexis hadn't found me. I owe that girl big time." Madison explains.

"But you're in medical school." Kate didn't understand.

"Losing Kali got me interested in saving people, and I'd like to think I'm pretty good at it too. Even your Lucy seems impressed. I just couldn't save me." Madison wipes away another escaped tear.

"And then along comes Alexis." Kate thinks she understands better now.

"Alexis talked endlessly about you and Rick. I don't know how she found me. My own parents couldn't find me, but that red headed angel did somehow. She didn't beg or plead, she just talked.

Then Captain Montgomery found me and told me to get packed, get my class work and get my sorry excuse of an ass on his ship or he would send someone to carry me there." Madison goes back to laughing.

Kate is grinning behind her hands. "That sounds more like Rick." Kate tells her.

"You've got yourself quite a family Becks. If Emily and Kali grow up to be anything like those two. …." Madison trails off impressed and jealous. "Come on, last one to the beach is the first one to get soaked." Madison offers and puts on her helmet, fires up her quad and takes off.

A little while later Rick is sitting on his Futon when Kate walks in soaking wet still, but drying out. "What happened to you?"

"Nothing!" Kate had lost. She had ridden a quad before and got beat by Madison. Kate didn't need Rick piling on.

"Well nothing certainly got you wet." Rick puts down his laptop and goes over to Kate to wrap his arms around her while she is digging out dry clothes.

"And I kinda like the wet look on you. Your enlarged nipples poke thru the fabric quite nicely." As Rick pinches one of them and then kisses her.

"Rick, I'm a mess." Kate feels grimy.

"And you'll feel much better OUT of those wet clothes. "Rick starts to pull her top over her head.

"Alexis might come back." Kate points out.

"That's what shuttles are for." Rick arches his eyebrows a couple of times.

Kate plunges her hand down the front of Rick's pants and finds that he is already hard. "Well it would be a waste to let this go all soft on me. When it could be IN me."

With dry clothes forgotten Rick and Kate head for one of the shuttles and place a flag out front.

Kate and Rick step out of the shuttle while Kate is still trying to get her hair tamed. "Hi dad." Kate instantly blushes.

It reminded Kate of when Martha caught them after making love to each other.

"Katie, planning a trip in a shuttle?" Jim lets them off easy.

"It occurred to us that we needed to check with Alexis and Madison concerning the girls." Rick thinks fast.

"And change into clean clothes?" Jim suggests and then walks on.

Once Jim is out of sight Kate buries her head in Rick's chest. "That was so embarrassing."

"You've given birth to two children Kate, I pretty sure he knows how it works." Rick isn't quite so worked up about it.

"He's my dad Rick. … Come on, I need to change. … And do something with the flag." Kate reminds him.

They found Madison in their space with Alexis, Emily and Kali. "There you two are. What have you two been up to? … You haven't even changed clothes yet. … And why are you blushing and glowing at the same time? …. OHHHH!" Madison stopped talking.

Kate gathered up some clean clothes and headed for the showers to clean up making a strategic withdrawal.

Rick sat down letting Alexis to continue to play with Emily while Kali slept.

"I owe you two big for finding me and getting me out here. It changed my life." Madison tells them.

"You don't owe us anything Madison. I don't mean to belittle your life, but we really did it for Kate. We found out about Kali and you and decided you had to come. If Kali was still here we would have gotten her here too." Rick tells her.

"That may be but it doesn't change what it has done. … You two need to understand. …. All our families were close, really close. It was like having 3 mothers and 3 fathers, and the three of us felt like sisters. Even though we had different parents, technically." Madison tries to explain.

"Mom told us no one on Tellus has sisters." Alexis counters.

"That's just the point. We saw ourselves as sisters. It didn't matter which set of parents we were with at the time. Each was our mom or dad." Madison explains.

"Then you lost Kali." Rick finishes.

Madison nods her head. "Then we lost Johanna, then Jim and Kate."

"You lost your family." Alexis speaks for the first time.

"Now after all these years, Kate is back, Jim is back and in a way even Kali is back." Madison tells them.

"Except this time you get to add Emily, Alexis and me." Rick points out.

Madison can't help but smile. "The new and improved family."

"Mags, …. You want to help me in the greenhouse tomorrow? I could use the help." Alexis asks, hoping Madison will say yes, since she has a plan.

"What about your mother? I'm told she is pretty good at that now." Madison counters.

"Kate and I are going hunting tomorrow while another shuttle is going to go gather other foods we don't have here yet." Rick explains.

"That means I would need to watch the girls not help you." Madison sees a problem with this plan.

"I can watch and play with Emily. And Emily loves the finger fruits. … You can feed Kali if she is awake." Alexis needs to shoot down her excuses not to come.

"Sure, I'm not due in Medical until late in the day. My next exam before my final is not for another couple of days. And Lucy has really been a big help. I wish I had her a number of years ago." Madison is in.

Alexis does her best to keep her joy to herself. Madison may sense a setup if Alexis celebrated too much. "Thanks."


	72. Chapter 72

**CH72**

"Dad, now that we have monitors everywhere, can we have a movie night like we did on Ariel? … Lucy can have it display on all the screens. They can stop the movie or turn it off as they wish." Alexis asks her father, still working on her plan.

"I guess. We could have Lucy send an acceptance screen before showing it." Rick was warming up to the idea. "You have a list of movies to show first I'm guessing." Rick knew his daughter.

"Close Encounters, …. E.T., …. Notting Hill, …. Oh God!, ….. Wizard of OZ, …. Maybe." Alexis offers.

"LUCY?" Rick yells out.

"I can offer them a choice as part of the start screen." Lucy responds.

"We can start tonight after dinner." Alexis offers.

"We can. …. What are you up to daughter of mine?" Rick smells a trap, just not for who.

"Nothing, …. I just downloaded a lot of movies, TV shows and sports games for us to watch. I've even got the Olympics when I went back home." Alexis prays that works.

"LUCY?" Rick calls out.

"Alexis is correct, I spent several hours downloading a large number of those items." Lucy confirms.

Rick stares at Alexis. He still smells a trap, just isn't 100% sure anymore. "Ok Lucy put it up on the monitors tonight. Maybe we can alter the options every week if you have that much.

Maybe Jim would be interested in a baseball game. We could probably talk your mother into a hockey game." Rick ponders what could be done.

Alexis however was grinning wide. Her secret was still a secret and her dad had referred to Kate as her mom again.

It was just after lunch and Rick had cleaned up the kitchen afterward that him and Kate took a shuttle out hunting after Madison had shown up at their dome.

"Kali has already been fed and there are bottles in the walk-in cooler in the kitchen you can use" Kate tells Madison. "The diapers, baby powder, …." Kate is interrupted.

"I know where everything is Becks. I've done this before remember." Madison reminds her.

"Sorry, I guess it's just my mommy gene pocking thru. … You'll do fine. Thanks for this. We really do need to go hunting. The walk-ins are getting empty." Kate is babbling.

"Just go Becks, while you can still remember your own name." Madison teases her.

"Oh ha, ha. …. You be good for Mags sweetie." Kate kisses Emily. "And thank you too Alexis, I don't think I could do this without you." Kate still feared she was in over her head.

After Alexis was sure Kate and Rick would be gone in the shuttle. "You want to help me in the greenhouse now?" Alexis wanted to get her plan into motion.

"Sure, let me pick up Kali and her baby bag." With baby bag over her shoulder Madison picks up the sleeping Kali.

Once they reach the first greenhouse. "Hi Shawn, Madison agreed to help us today." Alexis finds Shawn already there working just like she planned.

"You worked in a greenhouse before?" Shawn asks Madison.

"I used to play in the dirt when I was a kid, but that's as close as I come." Madison suddenly feels like an extra wheel. One with a flat no less.

"Well we'll just have to fix that." Shawn was willing.

"Emily and I are going to take the finger trees on the other side if you two can work this side." Alexis offers.

"I guess we can do that." Madison wasn't too sure. She thought she would be working with Alexis.

After Alexis is gone. "It isn't hard, here I'll show you." Shawn offers.

Shawn and Madison had been working side by side for some time now when Kali made her presence known. "I need to wash." Madison tells Shawn. Madison was a mess and wanted to be clean to pick up Kali.

"It's right over here, I'll show you." A clean Madison is soon picking up Kali.

"Well what got you awake little one?" Madison asks Kali. "It's too early to be hungry. …. And your diaper is fine. You just wanted attention didn't you?" Madison coos at her.

"You're pretty good at this." Shawn mentions.

"I've had lots of practice lately." Madison chuckles.

"That's where I know you." Shawn finally figures out where he knew her.

Madison however started to panic. She had a nasty reputation on Tellus. It was all true but that didn't mean she liked it.

"You're the new doctor." Shawn finally put the pieces together.

Madison lets out a breath and relaxes. "Not until I take my finals in a few days and pass them. Until then I'm just a nurse." Madison corrects him.

Shawn and Madison spend the next two hours talking, only getting interrupted when Kali puts up a fuss.

"You hungry now sweetie? Well I can fix that." And Madison heads for the kitchen to warm up a bottle with Shawn right behind her.

They feed Kali in the kitchen while continuing to talk.

"Do you know what the list on the monitor is all about?" Shawn asks.

"Alexis said they were Earth movies. She mentioned they had a large number of them. She thought people might be interested." Madison explains.

"Earth movies? Sounds like fun. Do you want to watch one with me tonight?" Shawn is interested in the movie and her.

"I have a shift in the medical center tonight." Madison has to decline. "I also have an exam in two days that I need to be studying for."

"You want some help with that? … I don't know anything about medical but I'm willing to help." Shawn decided to try and get closer.

"What do you do here?" Madison didn't see how he could help her.

"I'm one of the few lake biologists on Tellus. I found out about this all water planet and leaped at the chance to learn about salt water oceans. … Until we can build ships to get out there I help Alexis in here. …. It's not quite the same, but I've been studying up on Hydroponics. Hoping that we could build one. It really is fascinating." Shawn explains.

"Well maybe I can help you with your hydroponics and you can help me with my exam." Madison decides to take a risk.

"Deal. Maybe a movie and some of Rick's ice cream after you pass your exam." Shawn takes a risk.

"That would be nice." Madison accepts.

Madison burps Kali and they head back to the greenhouse finding Alexis playing tickle monster with Emily.

Since Kali didn't want to go back to sleep Madison was forced to sit with her and keep her entertained. While Alexis kept Emily entertained mostly on the other side of the dome. This left Shawn to talk to Madison some more while working.

At dinner Rick and Kate were back and sitting together along with Alexis and Jim. "Who's that?" Kate asks watching Madison and Shawn sitting off to one side talking and eating.

"I don't know. Not sure I know everyone in this colony. He might be new. Roy may have dropped him off last time." Rick responds looking at the two.

"He's a biologist of some kind, his name is Shawn." Jim fills in the gap. There wasn't anyone Jim didn't know on this colony.

"Mags seems quite taken with him." Kate whispers out.

"Katie?" Jim cautions his daughter.

"I'm just saying dad. Usually she eats with us." Kate glares at the two, and then turns on her dad. "What do you know about this, Shawn?"

"Katie?" Jim didn't want to get in this deep.

"Talk dad." Kate glares at him. 'Talk or I'll skin you alive' kind of glare.

"He arrived with Captain Montgomery last time he was here. He's a biologist dealing with the lakes on Tellus. He found out about here and got himself transferred. He is studying hydroponics with Lucy at the moment until we have boats. Until then he works in the greenhouse, mostly." Jim fills her in.

"Greenhouse." Kate turns on Alexis. "Alexis?" With a 'Start talking' glare.

Alexis withers under Kate's glare now that she's been ratted out by Jim. "Shawn is nice and he's all alone out here." Alexis starts to plead her case.

"And you decided to play matchmaker." Kate continues to glare at Alexis.

"She does seem to like him mom." Please don't be mad.

"Ok, but if Madison finds out about this, she'll kill us all." Kate had trust in Alexis, just not much trust in what Madison would do to them if she caught wind of this.

Alexis zips her mouth closed and smiles at Kate.

Kate turns her attention to Rick. "Babe?" Getting Rick to zip his lips closed.

Jim was next for the Kate Castle glare. Jim swallows hard and zips his lips closed.

Kate looks back to Alexis. "This better work pumpkin, or Mags will skin us alive."

Alexis just grins wide and shakes her head. Her plan wouldn't fail, it couldn't fail. Shawn was a nice guy, he just needed a girlfriend. And Madison needed to feel good about herself again. This had to work.

Madison was shuffling her feet into Rick and Kate's dome the next morning. "Wow, what happened to you?" Kate asked as Madison falls onto one of their Futons. "Late night last night?" Kate asks suggestively.

"I stayed up to late last night studying." Madison gives an excuse.

"And whose body were you studying last night? And what's his name?" Kate stands over Madison.

"All we did was study. And his name is Shawn. You can ask Lucy, little miss nosy." Madison gives back as good as she got.

Kate sits down next to her and stares at Madison. "Well you do have bags under your eyes and you're not glowing, so ok you're off the hook." Kate grins at her. "Studying what?"

"Do I really look that bad?" Madison moans and slumps further into the Futon. "He was firing off questions at me for my exam tomorrow and I quizzed him about his test on Hydroponics." Madison places a hand over her closed eyes.

"Did you know Hydroponics is about growing plants without soil? …. How can you grow plants without soil?" Madison removes her hand and stares at Kate.

"Sounds like something Alexis brought back from Earth with her. …. I'm telling you Mags, that girl is a genius when it comes to plants. I watched her do things at our summer home, …." Kate trails off.

"So it's 'Our summer home' now is it?" Madison may be half awake but she heard that.

"Oh shut up." Kate started to blush. "So tell me about this Shawn, you must like him if you stayed up all night with him." Kate counters to take the topic off her.

"He's nice. … We even stayed up to watch one of those Earth movies. Something about a mean Witch, Ruby slippers and flying monkeys?" Madison didn't understand the flying monkeys part. And since her mind wasn't working very well this morning, she was lucky she remembered that part.

"What else did you do?" Kate digs politely.

"Nothing." Madison tells her with her hand back over her eyes. Madison removes it and looks at Kate. "Honestly Becks, nothing happened. … It was nice. …. And scary." Madison goes back to covering her eyes.

"I've gone through so many men, I have a reputation back home, and it's not a good one. …. Unfortunately it's also all true and I earned it.." Madison removes her hand and looks at Kate. "What if he finds out and all he wants after that is one night of sex? …. I've made a mess Becks, and I don't know how to get out."

"You'll have to tell him sometime. Eventually he's likely to hear about it. Let him get to know you. …. The you I used to know, the you that maybe you can be again. Then tell him. Just don't wait too long." Kate cautions, then stands up and offers her hands. "Come on you need some sleep."

Madison takes them and gets pulled up till she's standing. Thinking she's going back to her room. However Kate guides her over to a bed in her space. "Lie down and get some sleep. Someone is almost always here to watch you. … You have a test tomorrow, get some sleep." Kate gives Madison a little shove.

"Thanks Becks." And about 30 seconds later Madison is asleep in Rick and Kate's bed.

Rick came in from the kitchen with left over breakfast since Kate hadn't shown up. "Thanks babe." As Kate starts picking at it.

"Is Madison alright." Rick sees her crashed on their bed.

"From the sound of it she was up all night with Shawn." Kate tells him.

"OH really!" Rick was thinking sex.

Kate swats him. "Not like that. Get your mind out of the gutter. Apparently they were both using Lucy to help study and then they watched the Wizard of OZ by the sound of it."

"All that in one day? …. She must really like him." Rick was impressed.

"I think she was happy it was a simple date and terrified about what that means." Kate is guessing.

"So are they seeing each other again?" Rick was happy for her.

"She didn't say. She wasn't awake long enough to get much out of her." Kate giggles a little.

"It would probably be best if we left it to Alexis then." Rick offers. Getting a 'Why?' look from Kate.

"If we involve ourselves she's likely to suspect something. Alexis is just a child to her. She isn't likely to suspect her." Rick tries to make his point.

"Good point." Kate could see the devious part. "She's still going to skin us alive if she finds out."

"Then I guess it will just have to be our secret then." Rick would like to keep his skin.

Madison was still asleep after lunch so Kate woke her so she could eat.

They were almost done when Shawn came in and Rick and Kate with Emily and Kali made a quick withdrawal. "We need to find where Alexis is hiding so she can eat to." Kate tells Madison.

Kate was itching to say Hi Shawn, but that would draw attention to the fact that she knows him.

They did however delay long enough to watch Shawn sit down across from her and start talking.

Instead of searching, they stopped just outside the kitchen. "Lucy where is Alexis?" Kate asks.

"Alexis is in the greenhouse. She used me to see Madison enter to eat and sent Shawn to go eat lunch then come back when he was done so she could eat." Lucy tells them.

"This is all your fault Rick, you've corrupted our daughter." Kate slaps his upper arm.

"My fault? How do you figure this is my fault? … Alexis loves you and she has found a friend of yours that needs help and she's giving it. Or do you want Madison to be miserable?" Rick crosses his arms.

"Of course I want Madison to be happy! … I just wish, …." Kate doesn't finish.

"You wish you were the one to help her since she is your childhood friend." Getting a nod from Kate. "But you are helping her Kate. You are being there for her when she needs you, and you are letting Alexis work her magic. If that's what you call what she is doing." Rick chuckles at what his daughter is trying to do.

"I've been amazed with her since I met her. Alexis is amazing Rick. Actually you both are amazing." Kate snuggles in close.

"Actually I think you're amazing. You've gone from the woman I met after crashing here to where you are now. Do you have any idea how much you have changed?" Rick can't wrap his arms around her with Kali in his arms.

"Come on Alexis needs to eat too." Rick leads Kate to the greenhouse to pick up Alexis.


	73. Chapter 73

**CH73**

It is now 3 months later:

The Moon Shines and three cargo ships are in orbit. Rick and Kate have been drafted to help as shuttle pilots to transfer the cargo down to the planet. Rick and Kate had been expecting only two cargo ships, getting all three was a surprise. Not surprisingly was the fact they wouldn't see another one for 3 to 4 months after this.

Emily is approaching her terrible twos and is on the run, literally.

Kali was willing to try and stand but not any good at taking steps yet. Also her first word sounded something like "Mags". Or at least Madison thinks it does and was rubbing it in every chance she got.

However Kali still loved Rick's hands best. Emily was no longer being breast fed however Kali still was.

They had all started the process of getting Emily potty trained. Everyone had failed so far, however she had taken to telling someone when she needed to "Go potty." She just wouldn't do it herself, plus your wait time between when you were told and when she did go was mere seconds.

The Moon Shines was putting satellites into orbit just like they did for Ariel. While all three cargo ships had to do with getting the dry docks under construction. They had also brought supplies for the start of construction of a city tower identical to the two being built on Ariel. The needed pilings were first.

There were new people being left behind for the construction, temporary housing for them and enough panels for three greenhouses just like the ones on Ariel.

They also brought a lot of fencing so they could capture the Emu's and start breeding them instead of hunting them. The forest area here was so small it was decided that they would use another dome for a barn area to hold the farming equipment and another one to act as a barn for the Emu herd.

The silo was also under construction.

Kate was home from her shift as a shuttle pilot and was presently nursing Kali. "Hi Mrs. …. Kate, have you seen Madison?" Shawn asks as he enters.

"She was called to the Medical area, I don't know for what." Kate responds.

Since Shawn didn't immediately leave after getting his answer. "Is everything Ok Shawn? You look nervous somehow." Detective Kate is awake.

"I'm fine, it's nothing." Shawn dismisses it with a wave of his hand.

"Shawn? …. Is it about Madison?" He came here looking for her and didn't just ask Lucy.

Shawn suddenly looks bashful. "You're Mags best friend from when she was younger, right?

It's just, … I like her, a lot actually and I think she likes me. …. It's just, …. I mean I have tried, … but she won't, …. Aauugh." Shawn gives up.

"Shawn just spit it out, I'm not going to judge you." Kate knows it's something and kinda has an idea.

"Does she like guys?" Shawn finally asks since Madison won't let him kiss her.

Kate can't help but laugh. The topless men at the construction site, Madison telling her about her countless one night stands. "Yea I'm pretty sure she likes guys. Let me talk to her, I think I know what it is."

"Because if it's just me she doesn't like I'll back off. She doesn't have to, … I mean I'm not trying to, …. It's just, …." Shawn trails off flustered.

"It's alright Shawn, I'll talk to Madison. It's nothing that you've done. Mags just has her, …. Demons to deal with. … We both have." Kate's are mostly gone now, but she remembers them.

"I'd like to help her with them, …. If she would let me. …. Thanks Mrs., …. Kate. I can try and give her some space if that is what she wants." Shawn leaves feeling better but still dejected.

"I think your time has run out Mags." Kate knew what the problem was and what Madison was doing, but it was sending the wrong message. Unless Madison had given up sex altogether.

Kate waited until she was certain Shawn was gone but was still nursing Kali. "Lucy is Madison available?"

Madison is soon up on the monitor. "Hi Becks you need something?"

"We need to talk Mags." Kate tells her.

"Sounds ominous, but I've got something to tell you too. I'm on my way." Madison is off the screen.

A short time later. "Hi Becks." As Madison walks in just as Kate is cleaning up from nursing Kali. "I've got news. …. I passed! I'm a doctor!. …. Well almost a doctor. I need to wait for the official paper work on the next ship, …. but I'm a DOCTOR!" Madison was bouncing.

"That's great! We need to celebrate somehow. I'm happy for you Mags. You always were the smartest of us." Kate was smiling as she puts Kali down. "Maybe Rick can cook us something special."

"I'd probably still be cruising if I wasn't here. I owe a lot of this to you, Alexis and your family. … Becks, …. I'm not trying to take over. I know Kali is yours and not mine. I also know if you hadn't named her Kali I wouldn't be acting like I have been. Our Kali is gone, …." Kate stops her.

"Mags, I know. Honest I do. I knew before she was born that Mama wasn't going to be her first word. …. Even before she was born only Rick could calm her down. I thought she was trying to kick her way out sometimes. Rick would rub my belly and she would calm almost instantly. I even joked that she did it just so Rick would rub my belly.

And having you around has made it felt like family again. All of us, Kali included. She'll call me mom eventually." Kate tells her hoping she is listening.

Madison hugs Kate. "Thanks Becks. …. You said there was something?"

Kate takes a deep breath. "Shawn came by looking for you."

"I was in Medical, why didn't he just ask Lucy? I'm sure she could see me." Madison didn't understand.

"I don't think he was really looking for you but wanted to talk to me." Kate tells her cringing.

"About?" She wasn't losing Shawn to Kate was she? Kate was married.

"He likes you Mags, I think he likes you a lot." Kate travels softly.

"I like him too, a lot. He's different. I'm doing everything I can not to repeat my past mistakes. I don't want to lose him or scare him off Becks. I'm trying hard not to screw this up." Madison knew what she used to do.

"I know you are Mags, …. but you might be trying a little too hard." Kate tells her.

"Meaning?" Madison really didn't understand. Being with Shawn is the longest she had been with any guy.

"He wanted to know if you like guys. He's wondering if you like him at all." Kate worries for her.

"Of course I like him. I'm trying to stay away from having sex with him no matter how hard I want to." Madison wasn't going to do things fast this time.

"I don't mean sex Mags. When you walk with him, do you hold his hand? Do you bump in with your hip? Have you run your hand down his arm? Given him little lip pecks on his cheek? … I don't mean jump him Becks. …. Do you show him you are interested in him? Do you tease him a little. Show a little leg? Sway your hips a little more when you walk away? ….. Flirt with him Mags.

He likes you, show him you like him." Kate gives a few pointers.

"You talked to him about this?" Madison was shocked.

"Of course not. I simply told him that we both have our fair share of demons that we are trying to deal with. …. Shawn said he was willing to help you with yours if you would let him. Or leave you alone if you weren't interested in him. …. Are you interested in him?" Kate decides it's time to be blunt.

"Yea Becks I'm interested. I've been trying so hard not to scare him off. Now he thinks I don't care. … Now what do I do?" Madison had screwed up. If this was the wrong way what was the right way.

"Now we start putting a plan into action. First we need to look at what clothes you have. Lucy is Rick, Alexis or my dad available." Kate calls out.

"Rick is presently running shuttle service; Jim is out overseeing construction of the dome for the barn and the one for the Emu farm. And Alexis is in the greenhouse with Emily. They are presently in the middle of a game of tickle monster with Shawn as a surprise monster." Lucy informs her.

"Can you have Alexis meet us at Madison's room?" Kate moves to pick up a sleeping Kali.

"Message sent, she is on her way." Lucy tells them.

Alexis and Kate picked out something for Madison to wear or not wear and sent her to the greenhouse with a plan of action. Then meet them in the Castle clan dome to discuss what comes next.

Kate with Kali and Alexis with Emily hot footed it back to their dome to wait and watch what Lucy was going to show them while they spied on the two and their plan.

They had the sound off giving them some privacy, however they just wanted to see how it goes.

As they watched Madison was helping Shawn and little by little they were touching more and more. They were all light passing touches but you could see the smile on Shawn's face. It took Madison a little longer but soon she was smiling too.

There was some occasional laughing.

It looked like it was breaking up and Madison had a hold of Shawn's hand when she moved in and kissed him on his cheek.

Shawn was smiling and without using hands he leaned in and kissed her softly and quickly on her lips. Then appeared to ask Madison a question. Getting an answer he seemed to like Madison got a quick kiss on her cheek and Shawn left.

As they watched they saw Madison take off at a run and was in their dome in seconds.

Madison gave Kate a tight hug and Alexis got a kiss on the cheek.

The next hour was filled with what Madison thought and what to do next. Alexis had her own plan. One of which involved finding out what Shawn thought of Madison.

Rick was off shuttle duty and went straight to putting dinner together for everyone. Yes he had help just like he always did, but Rick was the cook. Everyone in the kitchen did what he told them to do.

Rick was sitting eating with everyone. "Ok why is everyone smiling like they know something? Why does it feel like Jim and I are on the outside looking in?" Rick wanted answers.

It took several minutes for them to explain themselves, then they got interrupted as Madison and Shawn came in and sat down to eat together.

They all watched as they talked and were smiling at each other. "So we get to keep our skins for a little longer." Rick laughs.

Madison was back in the Castle clan dome after dinner helping them with Emily and Kali. "I've got a shift in medical in the morning. Even though I'm still a nurse until the paperwork gets here."

"I'll bring the girls over so you can look at them. It's about time for their medical checkup anyway." Kate tells her.

The first cargo ship pulled out and headed for Tellus as soon as it was empty. Its next two trips were going to be to Ariel.

It took another week to empty the next cargo ship. It left orbit and headed for Tellus 2 hours later. It also would be going to Ariel for their next cargo trip.

Captain Zhukov was in the greenhouse meeting up with Alexis as she requested thru Lucy.

"Miss Alexis, what can I do for you?" Zhukov asks watching Emily play in the dirt and getting dirty and loving every minute of it.

"This chip will tell you where to find them, I hope. It's the latest I could get from Lucy. Hopefully they are still there. If not Lucy has added a couple of options for where you could look next.

When you find them I want you to give them this." Alexis hands over another chip.

"Captain Montgomery will go back and pick up the response and deliver it back here." Alexis explains.

"Sounds easy enough. Can I ask what this is about?" Zhukov is curious.

"I'm trying to help someone. Hopefully it will heal some old wounds." It's all Alexis was willing to explain.

"If this involves your mother, I'm not going to be around when she finds out about this." Zhukov wasn't stupid. Plus he was no match for a detective, let alone Kate.

"It involves mom a little. … Please, find them. It's important." Alexis needs for this to work.

"I'll do my best little Miss Alexis." The council had told him long ago to help the Castle's in anything they asked for. They were a big part of this success.

After Zhukov was gone Alexis picked up Emily and walked her over to get her hands clean. "Lucy?"

"I promised I would keep my lips closed Alexis. I have no reason to break that promise. You're an amazing young lady Alexis. I was impressed some time ago. And I'm still impressed. Kate has given her heart to the right people." Lucy loves what Alexis is doing.

"I love mom, and this will make her happy too. I hope." Alexis was worried. This was a risk in her eyes.

Admiral Quast was presently between a rock and hard place. He had orders to protect the WHO and CDC personnel that wanted to chase down the latest medical problem. However the Chinese had told him if he or they entered into their territory they would be fired upon.

"We have to get on the ground Admiral. If we can't find out how this started and see the location we will be fighting with one hand tied behind our back." Both WHO and CDC tell him.

"The Chinese have ordered you to stay out. If you go in there they are likely to either detain you, possibly for years, or kill you the second you set foot in their territory." Why couldn't these four listen to him?

"Viruses aren't interested in borders. We've got information that there are already 22 people in Hong Kong with the virus. Six of those people are dead. … It has already found its way into Korea. We have reports of 8 people that may have the virus. If it escapes Korea it'll be in the Philippines in days. From there it can go everywhere with ease. People can have it for a week before displaying symptoms.

Our sources in Hong Kong tell us that it is resistant to all the treatments and drugs they presently have." They argue back.

"If you go in there, you may never come back out." Admiral Quast warns them.

"It's a risk we are willing to take."

"Fine, I'll have transportation arranged that doesn't involve military. You at least need a chance to get on the ground before you get killed." Quast moves off to make the arrangements.

All four WHO and CDC people are gone with all of their equipment. He had them change clothes since they stood out like sore thumbs dressed like they were. "How long until the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) gets here?" Quast asks.

"They are still 2 hours out. It took longer than anticipated to have all the equipment transferred." Is the response.

"Are all the trackers operational?" Quast had, had GPS signals added to their new clothes and in some of the cases of their equipment.

"All of them are working as intended. We will know where the signal devices go 24 hours." The signal for all of them was strong.

Quast was happy with that. "Have the seal team deploy to just off shore as soon as the Bonhomme Richard gets here. Make sure all the birds are ready to go with the second seal team. … Are the 18's ready?" Quast had a backup plan.

"The modified UH-60's are aboard the Bonhomme Richard. The 18's are being made ready and the pilots are in the ready room going through operation briefing.

Also the SDV on the USS Philadelphia (SSN 690) is also ready for deployment, as is the USS Florida (SSGN 728)."

"And the backup plan in case something goes wrong?" Quast had a spare option if it proved to be useful.

"The USS Pegasus (PHM 1) is already slowly shadowing her way into position. At 48 knots she should be in position in minutes if needed. The 2 x quad RGM-84 Harpoon, Mk. 75 76 mm OTO and 62 cal. Gun should handle any coast guard size vessel they decide to send."

Admiral Quast was sitting in his chair just off the bridge wondering if he had anticipated what the Chinese would do and how to get those either brave or stupid WHO and CDC people back alive.

When a communication sailor approached him. "Sir I have a scrambled eyes only on the pad for you." The seaman hands over the pad.

After running his finger over the scanner and inserting his code, Admiral Quast started reading.

"God damn it!" Quast yells out and starts cursing under his breath.

"Sir?"

"The Russians have invaded the Baltic States. …. The President has ordered all the available National Guard units to be readied for immediate deployment. … Aircraft from Germany, Sweden and Poland have already been engaged with units from Russia.

The US Army's 82nd Airborne Division and the 75th Ranger Regiment are the best examples of Rapid Deployment Forces. Both units have the mission of having combat troops "Wheels Up" (en route by aircraft) within 18 hours of executive notification.

Naval units from Norway, Sweden and Germany have been ordered for deployment into the Baltic Sea.

Ground forces for Poland and Germany have been placed on alert. Aircraft from other NATO countries are being deployed forward." Quast explains.

"Nukes?"

"So far no, pray it stays that way." Quast replies.

"And us?"

"We stay where we are. If Russia is this stupid the Chinese might be even stupider. … however the Tenth fleet will be getting ready to leave the States soon most likely. With a possible re-deployment of the sixth fleet.

The Russian Black Sea fleet may be on the move soon." Quast finishes what he is thinking.

"And all it takes is one idiot with a button."

"Inform the Japanese they should be ready for China to do something stupid." Quast orders.

"Yes sir."

After he was gone and Quast was alone again. "I'm really sorry baby." Quast thinks of his teenage daughter back home, since his wife died in a car accident years ago. "So very sorry."


	74. Chapter 74

**CH74**

Admiral Quast had been sweating the last few days. The trackers they had planted didn't show any unusual activity.

The seal team at the coast had been swapped out with a new one as part of a rotation. The seal team on the Bonhomme Richard had spent most of their time sitting in their ready room. The modified UH-60's were sitting on the deck of their carrier, waiting.

Everyone in the Carrier Group was a little on edge, waiting. Then his phone rang.

"We have movement. The trackers are splitting into two distinct groups. Four are moving fast, probably in cars and headed for the coast line. All the others are stationary." Is what Quast got on the phone.

Quast picked up a new phone. "They're on the run. Have the seal team secure the beach. … Get the seal team into the UH-60's and have their rotors turning. …. Get the pilots in the 18's. I want them sitting in the catapults waiting. … And signal the Pegasus to stand-by." Quast hangs up the phone.

"This better not start WWIII if the stupid Russians haven't already." Quast whispers to himself.

The bad part about being an Admiral was sitting on his ship, waiting. Then his phone rang.

"We have a signal, the beach is secure for the moment. The trackers show they are headed right for them. Their speed is unchanged." Quast is told.

"They're being chased. As soon as they all reach the beach things are going to get interesting. … Get the UH-60's in the air and headed for the beach for support. … Get the rescue helicopters prepared and on the deck with their crews. … Launch the ready alert, but hold the others for now. I want them as a cap over our station." Quast gives out his orders and hangs up the phone.

From his chair he can see the UH-60's leave the deck just over a minute later. About that time he can see in the distance 4 F/A-18E/F's leave their catapults. Knowing that four more would take their place sitting with engines running. While the same was happening on the other carrier.

Suddenly Quast had a concern. "Damn it! I'm going to get us all killed if I don't wake up." Quast grabs the phone.

"I want the anti-submarine helicopters off the Bonhomme Richard in the air, NOW!" Quast was not going to be sitting out here with his pants down while some damn Chinese attack sub put holes in his fleet.

Quast would answer his phone to listen to the updates as they came in. There had been a short gun fight near the beach access. The people from WHO and CDC were aboard the UH-60's and were airborne and headed for his carrier. The seals were all evacuating by sea. The USS Florida had been tasked with picking them up.

A few Chinese police men may have been hit, but so far no casualties or injuries were reported. Now if the Chinese would just let them go away this would all be over.

The UH-60's were just landing when his phone rang."AWACS has 12 high speed objects down on the deck, supersonic. Feet wet in less than 20 seconds."

"Get all the 18's you can in the air along with all the rescue choppers." Quast hangs up the phone. "Officer of the deck, sound General Quarters. … Helm turn us into the wind for flight operations. Increase speed to full and prepare for maneuvers." Quast yells out and gets it repeated back at him.

"Might be **Shenyang J-8 **or the Dongfeng-21D." Quast talks to himself. "If it's the J-8's I have time to get my air wing in the air. If it's the 21'D's?" Quast makes a snap decision and picks up the phone. "Suspend launching of the 18's and have all ships begin emergency evasive maneuvers." Quast hangs up the phone.

The Dongfeng-21D's are new and intelligence believes that they are bad at hitting a moving target. Quast picks up the phone again. "Have all ships increase speed to flank, and see if the 18's in the air can intercept. They are cleared to fire."

Four of the F/A-18E/F's had managed to get 2 of them. Confirmation from the 18's indicated they were 21D's. The Wayne E Meyer (DDG 108) had managed to get 2 more of them. The Phalanx guns on his own carrier had gotten two more.

Intelligence had been correct. All the other missiles had passed all his carriers by without any damage.

The USS Pinckney (DDG 91) however was not as lucky. Her own Phalanx guns had managed to get one more however one of the 21D's had managed to strike her bow, blowing it clean off.

As a testament to her construction it took several minutes for her to sink. With the rescue helicopters already in the air and holding station far outside the area of the fleet, they were able to rescue all but 12 of the crew who had died in the explosion. There were another 8 injured and were spread out on the carriers.

Quast kept 12 F/A-18E/F's in the air as a cap using in-flight refueling. AWACS showed the area as being clear.

Quast was part of the debriefing of the WHO and CDC personnel. They had what they wanted and were on a Seahawk with long range tanks attached on the sides and were presently on their way to the Marine air base in Okinawa with a pair of F/A18E/F's as escort. They had managed to get the samples they were after and had found patient 0. However it wasn't over yet. While they were gone it had spread to the Philippines. It would soon be everywhere.

Quast was presently in a secure video link with the President, Secretary of State and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs over what happened.

Quast was down an Arleigh Burke guided-missile destroyer as a part of this action. However he was gaining a Los Angeles attack submarine. It wasn't the same, but he took it anyway.

He could only hope that what they had found was worth the price.

Kate had finished her shift as shuttle pilot for the only cargo ship still up there while Rick had taken her place. He had been eager to get started. It might be a job but it was fun to him still.

Rick was in outer space! How cool was that?

Kate stepped into her dome with the intent of grabbing some fresh clothes and taking a shower. "Mama!" Emily comes racing across the room to slam into her.

"And how is my little girl today?" Kate hugs her and kisses her.

"Cal is sick." Emily still had trouble with Kali's name.

"It's just a little temperature Becks, nothing to worry about," Says Madison the doctor.

"She's in good hands. How is it going with Shawn?" Meaning how was the plan working out?

"It's great actually. We spent the last two nights watching Earth movies cuddled up on the Futon in my dome, after your father made himself scarce." Madison and Jim were still sharing a dome to live in.

"So Shawn isn't pressuring you to take things a little farther?" Like naked and in bed? Like Kate did with Rick before she could even walk downstairs on her own.

"No an occasional wandering hand by both of us and some quick kisses and holding each other close seems to be enough for him, for now." Madison was enjoying it. No pressure.

"And you? Not itching to get him out of his clothes?" Kate knew Mags was likely the weak link in this.

"I won't lie there is an occasional moment where I want to strip him of his clothes and ravish him, but I think I'm doing pretty well." Madison was proud of herself.

"Good, the last cargo ship is leaving tonight, so Rick and I are going to be free. You want to try going to the beach with us? We can drive the men in our lives crazy with our bikinis." Kate asks suggestively.

"And maybe finally get to run our hands over some topless muscle bound men?" Madison is interested. "Purely to put sunscreen on so they don't burn, of course."

"And maybe we can unfasten our tops while lying on our stomachs so they can rub lotion on our backs." Kate liked the sound of this better and better.

"You are an evil woman Kate Castle. But you can count me in." Madison was going to have some fun. "What about Emily and Kali?" Sunscreen or no they were likely to burn.

"That's what babysitting fathers are for." Kate answers smiling.

"Becks, …. I have a confession to make." Madison puts on her best 'please don't be mad' look. "I've started calling your father "dad" like I used to when we were kids. Please don't be mad." Madison adds quickly.

"We used to call all our parents mom or dad back then. How's he taking it?" Kate wasn't mad.

"A little surprised at first, but he seems to be warming up to it. … It's been a long time." Madison suddenly sounded sad.

"Now if we could just do the same for yours or even Kali's parents." Kate mentions the others.

"Kali's might be interested. Mine, …. not so sure about that. They might talk to you or dad, … but me?" Madison didn't think so.

"You might be surprised." Kate wasn't convinced of what Madison thought. "I'm going to go take a shower. You stay here with Mags sweetie, I'll be right back."

Kate ran across Alexis on the way to the showers.

Alexis found Madison in their space watching her sisters. It took a lot of effort to keep her mouth closed about what she had done. It was a surprise and it might not work out.

"Hi Alexis, your mom said we were going to go to the beach tomorrow since the cargo ship leaves tonight." Madison informs her of the plans.

"All of us?" Meaning Shawn too.

"Yup, Becks is going to get your grandfather to watch the girls for us." Madison was eager to tease Shawn.

"Cool!" Alexis was ready.

Talking Jim into spending time with his grandchildren had turned out to be incredibly easy. Actually Kate thought it was too easy. Kate just couldn't figure out what his motive was.

Kate and Madison were wearing cover ups to hide their bikinis. They got to the beach using quads. Kate had her arms wrapped around Rick nice and tight and even was letting her hands wander a little lower.

Alexis had her own quad, while Madison was driving theirs. Madison had to pull Shawn flush against her back and pull his arms around her and hold them there 'til she was sure he wasn't going to let go.

While she drove she tried to find every bump or hole she could find as soon as she found out that when she did his hands were forced up for a short time to be literally cupping the underside of her breasts all the way out.

As soon as they all stopped and Madison and Kate were off, Madison grabbed Kate's hand and pulled her out into the ocean to get wet.

"I'm in trouble Becks. I'm already soaking wet." Madison proceeded to explain what had happened all the way out. While standing up to her waist in water.

This got Kate to start laughing loudly. Then Kate explained what she had done to Rick all the way out. Getting Madison to start laughing loudly.

While they were both laughing their heads off Kate noticed that the guys never left the quads. "You notice how both of them are hovering around the quads." Kate points out.

Getting a "SO?" look from Madison.

"I had Rick as hard as a rock all the way out here. Do you see Shawn doing what Rick is doing?" Kate makes it more clear to Madison.

Madison started laughing loudly again. The ride out had gotten her worked up and apparently it had gotten Shawn equally worked up.

"Come on, I think our men need some sunscreen since we don't want them to get a sun burn, do we?" Kate grins wide.

"Not if he's going to hold me close later." Madison grins too and they head back out of the water.

Both Kate and Madison were soon running their hands full of sunscreen over their chest, shoulders and arms.

Kate was soon rubbing sunscreen up and down Rick's legs and had no problem telling what she was doing to him with this.

Not to be outdone Madison was soon doing the same, except Shawn was shifting his weight from foot to foot. Madison also had no problem telling what she was doing to him either.

Then the girls turned the tables and asked to have sunscreen applied to them.

Rick decided that turnabout was fair play. Ricks hands were soon rubbing in places that were not exposed to the sun and it was driving Kate insane. Kate all but had an orgasm the second his finger found its way under her bikini bottom between her legs. However it was only a tease as his finger was soon removed.

Shawn didn't take it nearly as far but it was having the same affect on Madison.

Alexis had already applied her own sunscreen and was already out in the water. "Come on mom, it's nice."

It was enough to snap both Kate and Madison out of the clouds and back down to ground. "Coming." And Kate grabbed Madison's hand and dragged her back out into the water.

The guys were soon right behind them.

They were all soon having fun splashing around or just swimming.

Kate and Madison soon left the water and laid down on their towel on their backs soaking up some rays.

Rick moved over to Shawn. "We're being mercilessly teased, you know that right?"

"I'm not going to last much longer if she keeps this up." Shawn had noticed.

"You know, …. payback is a bitch." Rick arched his eyebrows a couple of times.

"Do tell." Shawn was willing to play.

The guys got out of the water with a plan. They girls however saw them coming. "Flip." Kate tells Madison and turns over onto her stomach. Getting Madison to follow.

A little later. "Hey babe can you do my back?" Kate holds up the sunscreen.

"Me too?" Madison asks. Meaning Shawn.

As Rick and Shawn are just starting to apply the sunscreen, they both reach back and undo their tops and let it fall aside and then undo the tie around their necks.

Kate and Madison were soon moaning as Rick and Shawn work their hands over their backs, working their way from top to bottom.

Alexis since she was fair with red hair had already left for home to spell Jim from watching the girls.

At a nod of Rick's head they both undid one of the ties of the bottom of their bikinis, carefully.

Rick mouthed one, … two, …. three, and Rick and Shawn grabbed the ends of the ties of their tops and bottoms and pulled, Hard!

Then they ran for the quads hearing the girls scream behind them.

When they reached the quads they both stopped and turned around dangling the bikinis between their fingers.

"RICK! Give that back!" Kate tries to yell at him while lying on her stomach.

"Oh no, no way." Rick responds.

"Shawn, please." Madison tries.

"Not a chance. You've been teasing me for weeks. You want it, come get it." Shawn responds.

Kate is not ashamed of her body or bashful. Besides Rick has seen her naked countless times. However Shawn is here.

Kate twists her head to look at Madison who has done the same. The two of them are trapped. Kate knows Rick isn't going to hand it over. At least not easily.

The girls silently agree and rise together and make their way to their men in full view exposing everything. They both step right up and wrap their arms around their guys necks.

Kate kisses Rick deeply while one hand takes her bikini back.

Madison looks into Shawn's eyes. "Happy now?" Madison grins at him, then kisses him deeply while taking her bikini back.

The girls put their bikinis back on if full view of their men not getting any help from either of them. Unless you count being stared at, helping.

"Have you two had your fun now? Anyone interested in some ice cream?" Rick asks.

Kate grins and drags Rick to their quad for the trip.

Shawn holds out his hand for Madison to take. When she does he leads her to their quad.

Kate plays with Rick all the way back, and Shawn plays with Madison all the way back.

All four of them can barely keep their minds on eating their ice cream sitting in the kitchen area.

The girls have their covers back on while the guys are bare chested. Both Kate and Madison are unabashedly staring at their bare chests with each spoon full.

Not a word is spoken but the sexual tension could be cut with a knife.

The difference being Kate and Rick knew what was coming. Madison and Shawn however did not.


	75. Chapter 75

**CH75**

Rick with Kali in his arms, Kate walking with Emily, getting Alexis to come with them, they had left Madison and Shawn in their dome to talk.

Madison had something to talk with him about. Kate had told her that it was time to come clean. Jim had gone with them not knowing what was going on. They all ended up in one of the greenhouse domes and were picking finger fruits to eat.

Madison was scared to death. She liked Shawn, really liked him.

An hour later Lucy told them they could go back. Only Kate left, the rest of them stayed where they were. Jim stayed to help with the girls because Kate had asked him to.

Kate found Madison sitting on the Futon, crying softly. "What happened Mags?" Kate sits next to her and holds her.

"We talked and I told him everything. I exposed my soul Becks." Madison wiped a few tears away.

"Did you tell him why you weren't sleeping with him? Why you were going slow?" Kate asks her.

Madison just nods her head. "AND?" Kate asks.

"He got up and walked out Becks. Didn't say a word. Just got up and walked out." Madison goes back to crying.

Kate squeezes Madison. "Lucy?"

"Shawn is walking around, never stopping in one place. His face makes it appear he is concentrating." Lucy responds.

Kate thinks about it for a minute then leaves Madison to step up to the monitor. "Find Alexis and tell her to find Shawn, and tell her why. Just not all of it." Kate whispers so only Lucy hears her, then goes back to sit with Madison.

It's an hour before Shawn with Alexis with him shows back up. Kate pats Shawn and leaves with Alexis.

Shawn sits down next to Madison, close enough that their legs are touching. "Mags." Shawn starts.

Madison however stops him by launching herself at him and wrapping her arms around him. "I'm sorry Shawn, ever so sorry."

"You're demons that Kate told me about got the better of you." Shawn thinks he understands.

"I'm not proud of myself. We each react to tragic events differently. I used sex to lose myself so I didn't have to feel the pain. I'm not proud of it." Madison tries to explain again. "But I like you and didn't want to mess it up by having sex. I didn't want that. …. I mean I didn't only want that. … It's not that I don't want that. … I mean I've been soaked since before we even finished that ride out to the beach." Madison is rambling.

"Mags, stop. … At first I thought you just wanted a friend since you wouldn't even let me kiss you. Then Kate told me you had Demons. … I was hoping you would let me help you vanquish them, but I didn't even know if you liked me.

Mags, I can wait until you are ready. I just need to know if you want me there when you are?" Shawn lays his cards on the table.

Madison who is still crying launches herself into Shawn's arms. "Yes please." Madison whispers into his ear. "I'd like that very much."

Shawn pushes her back just far enough that he can kiss her sofly. Then wipes his tongue across her lower lip asking for entrance. After getting it he searches her mouth and to get a good taste of her.

Madison was enjoying the kiss and was also searching his mouth getting a taste of him.

After breaking from the kiss. "Movie tonight?" Shawn offers.

Madison laughs. "Only if you kiss me again." Since those are the terms Shawn does just that.

Shawn and Madison are sitting in each other's arms just talking when Kate, Rick and the girls all return.

Conversation soon switched to how the construction projects were going. They all found out that Shawn was excited about having the dry docks construction completed. He was dying to get out to sea to find out what was out there.

When Alexis pointed out that they could build submarines so he could see what was below the surface he got even more excited.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but Madison's presence has been requested in the medical area. There has been an accident at one of the sites. Two men are being brought into medical. They would like your trauma skill there when they arrive." Lucy tells them.

Madison jumps up out of Shawn's arms and starts running for the medical area. "Tell them I'm on my way."

Rick moves over to Lucy to check what movies are going to be available tonight. Looking to make sure a romantic movie was one of the choices. Accepting Lucy's choices of Notting Hill and Titanic.

Kate moves over to sit near Shawn. "How are you and Mags?" Kate didn't want to know everything, but she did want to be sure things were good between them.

"We're good I think. …. I'll admit it was a shock. It's not easy knowing the woman you care about is, or was, …. It really is complicated isn't it?" Shawn tries to explain. "I'm not overly proud of how I handled the news. I probably hurt her, and I don't ever want to do that again. … I know you mentioned she had demons. This just wasn't a demon that came to mind."

"Mags was trying so hard not to repeat her past mistakes with you. She wanted it to work out so badly that she did the exact opposite." Kate confides.

"That explains why I thought she wasn't interested in me. Mags really is smart. I helped her study for one of her exams. She's good, really good. Almost crazy good. I'm not sure what she sees in me. I'm not sure I'm good enough for her.

Mags is a very pretty woman with a great figure, now that I've seen it." Shawn chuckles. Getting Kate to join him. The event at the beach coming to mind.

"Don't sell yourself short Shawn. Mags obviously likes you a lot and she is trying so hard." Kate didn't want him to run now. He was so close.

"I'll still be here when she is ready to take the next step. I just hope I can survive the teasing that is headed my way." Shawn grins wide. Getting Kate to laugh.

Kate had no doubt Mags was going to use all her natural gifts to drive Shawn nuts.

Rick interrupted them. "I'm going to go start dinner." Rick leans in close to whisper into Kate's ear. "I will make you scream later." Rick kisses her head and heads for the kitchen. It reminded Kate that her panties were still wet since she still was after the incident at the beach.

Madison came into the kitchen late to find everyone gone except for the Castle clan and Shawn. Emily and Alexis were running around playing some game only they knew anything about.

Kate was grinning. Alexis was perfect. In a few years all three girls were going to be really close.

"Wow Mags, was it that bad?" Kate saw she was dragging.

"It was three guys and it took a lot of work to keep them from losing a limb. They should be fine though." Madison explains a little.

"Have a seat; I'll warm something up for you." Rick strokes her arm and gets to work.

Madison sits in the vacated seat which was next to Shawn who gives Madison a quick kiss. "We can skip the movie tonight if you would rather sleep." Shawn didn't want her to over work herself.

"No, no, I want to watch it with you. I'll be fine." Madison wanted to spend some time with him to make today feel better.

Since Madison was late she ended up to be the only one eating of the group.

Lucy interrupted them. "Rick, Alexis I've been using the new satellites to do deep scans of this world and I have found something."

Rick and Alexis get up to look at the monitor. "Can you run a side scan to get a 3D effect?" Rick asks.

"That looks like one of our domes dad. Where is this Lucy?" Alexis was confused. Why would Lucy show them one of their domes?

"That is in the ocean dad, not here. So it's not one of ours." Alexis points out.

"It looks to be deep in the ocean. We are going to need a very good submarine to reach it. What else Lucy?" Rick was curious why Lucy brought it to his and Alexis's attention.

"Color rendering of the materials suggests it is made of the same material as the Obelisk you went to on Ariel." Lucy explains.

Rick's mouth fell to the floor. "Seriously? …. What are these things? …. Kate, you need to see this."

Kate is standing next to Rick holding onto his arm and resting her head against his shoulder.

"Lucy says this thing is the same as the obelisk back on Ariel, except this time it's a dome, ,,, Explain this Oracle building of yours on Tellus." Rick is curious about something.

"It's a round building with a curved top. It's not much to look at really. It's made out of some kind of metal that no one understands. … I've read that there are no doors." Kate tries to explain.

"No doors? How do you get in to view this, … Oracle?" Rick didn't understand.

"If what I read is true, part of the wall just disappears. Whoever goes inside thru the opening gets to see the Oracle give out information." Kate has never been there.

"So you can't get in until you are invited in." Rick summarizes.

"Sounds like the Obelisk dad. It was smooth with no doors." Alexis comments.

"Ok I'll bite. …. But why are they all different? If they function the same, wouldn't they all look the same?" It made no sense to Rick.

"Different planet, different look?" Alexis offers up.

Rick, Kate and Alexis hadn't noticed but Madison, Shawn and Jim had joined them. "Lucy can you put all three on the monitor?" Shawn asks.

"Ok, way different." Shawn was puzzled same as the others. "Can you put a photo of the two and an artist's rendering of ours?"

"What are you looking for babe?" Madison asks.

"I want to see something." Shawn answers not having heard being called, "babe." Kate however had and was grinning while staring at Madison.

"Not sure that helps." Rick comments.

"Not sure it does either." Shawn sighs. "Lucy our writing said that the first 16 thousand had tents to live in with stuff from home in them. Can you place one next to the one on Tellus?" Shawn asks.

Lucy pops a tent up. "Well I'll be, …." Jim whispers.

"Desert tent, desert Oracle. Trees on Ariel, a tree trunk Oracle, and a dome on the sea floor. Perfect to hold back the pressure at that depth." Shawn was proud of himself and earns him a quick kiss to his cheek from Madison.

"Three planets, three Oracles. Except Earth doesn't have an Oracle." Rick points out.

"Earth is the home planet, it doesn't need one. It's not a colony like all the others." Shawn points out.

"So it opens itself for us to enter when it chooses. Is there an announcement? Something to tell you to be there when it opens?" Rick is curious.

"I don't know. I've never been there." Shawn answers. Rick gets shakes of everyone else's head. "Lucy we need eyes on these things, 24/7." Rick asks of her.

"I can watch this one. The one on Tellus is already under observation. The one on Ariel, I don't know." Lucy explains.

"We need to alert Captain Montgomery or Captain Zhukov." Rick offers.

"Even if Lucy sees it open, we can't reach it babe." Kate has to play devil's advocate.

"Not yet we can't." Rick is smiling and arches his eyebrows a couple of times.

"I know that look dad." Alexis comments.

Rick grins at Alexis. "You know me too well. … I asked for The Deep Flight Super Falcon flying submarine on my last list that left here with Zhukov. With some luck we may get one in about 6 months."

"Can I use it? Please, please, please, please." Shawn begs. Like a kid itching to get his hands on his new favorite toy.

Madison just moans while Kate is grinning. Kate has her man child and now Madison has hers.

"Sure son, but if you put a dent in it, I'll skin you alive." Rick teases.

"Gee thanks, dad." Shawn plays along. "I have some Hydroponics to study. We still on for a movie tonight?" Shawn asks Madison.

"I'll be there." Getting a quick kiss from Shawn as he leaves.

"So I suppose I should make myself scarce tonight?" Jim offers. "Right after I do the fatherly thing and scare the crap out of him should he decide to try something?" Jim was grinning.

"DAD?" Madison moans.

"What? I didn't get to do it to Rick and it's too late for him now. Besides, I like him. Katie made a wise choice. That just leaves you and Shawn." Jim was already planning just what to do.

"Please don't scare him off dad. I've worked too hard to get this far." Madison moans.

"We'll see." Jim was just messing with her, but he was having fun doing it.

"He's just messing with you Mags." Kate assures her.

"You sound just like your mother Katie." Jim countered, since he could almost hear Johanna's voice.

Kate came up short as she was walking towards her girls. "OH NO, I do don't I. … I've turned into my mother." Kate moans. Kate had gone from kick ass, bad ass Detective Beckett who takes no prisoners to mommy.

Kate plops down on the Futon with a stunned face. Then Emily walks over and stands in front of her. "Mama sad?" Emily was getting pretty good and judging her mother's moods.

Kate pulls Emily into her and hugs her. "No sweetie, mommy isn't sad. Mommy is just, …. Shocked. I'm fine sweetie, honest. …. Why don't you go draw something? Maybe that will make me happy?" Kate offers.

"OK!" Emily is instantly happy and runs for her colors. Emily was now on a mission, she had to make mama happy.

Rick came over to sit next to her and put an arm around Kate and pull her close.

Kate leaned in and sniffled a little. However this created its own problem. Her panties were soaked; she was soaked and was breathing in Rick's smell which only made it worse.

Kate jumped up and grabbed Rick's hand and starting dragging him behind her. "Can you two watch the girls for a bit? …. Thanks!" Kate didn't even wait for a reply, just dragged Rick to the first shuttle she could find that didn't have a flag out front.

Jim was left behind with a 'What was that?' look on his face, while Madison was giggling knowing full well what that was all about. Since she had a similar problem, just wasn't ready to do anything about it, yet.

Meredith wasn't having any fun. Her life was in the shit house as far as she was concerned.

Meredith had come to New York to get laid and get money out of Rick, since her acting career wasn't working out like she had planned. The fact that she had no skill never even crossed her mind.

Instead she couldn't get into her own house, ignoring the fact she has no claim on it. Then that bitch who was in her house and had stolen her daughter (money ticket) had put her in the hospital for weeks.

Meredith was still missing three teeth since she couldn't afford to replace them. Then just after she got out of the hospital the economy collapsed and she was stuck in New York with no way back to LA.

She couldn't get Rick to answer his phone and she still couldn't get in her own house. It was locked and looked boarded up from the inside. Plus the police refused to help her get in since their records showed it wasn't her home.

She was left to live on the street dragging her luggage with her everywhere she went. And with no taxis because of no gasoline, she was forced to walk everywhere. Meredith refused to ditch her expensive high heels for something more practical, which made her feet hurt and made her more miserable.

Meredith was forced to walk to one of the food distribution sites just to get something to eat. She had finally found a lawyer who was willing to try and get some of Rick's money transferred to her. Meredith had agreed to have sex with him in exchange.

However they both found out that his bank accounts and all the other liquid assets were gone. Rick had emptied them. Meredith was still broke and he wasn't even any good in bed. It was all for nothing.

Meredith ended up outside her home with a crowbar one day and started trying to pound her way inside. When that didn't work she tried using the crowbar correctly this time. But got nowhere. She just didn't have the muscles to cause any damage or pry any of the boards loose. Being hungry and weak didn't help.

When she made it back to her makeshift home, Meredith found her suitcase with her clothes was gone. Just her shoulder bag remained.

"Damn you Ricky, I hope you rot in hell for this." Meredith collapsed on her improvised bed, but refused to cry. She was a lady of dignity. She was an actress. Not some air headed floozy.

"Damn it Ricky." Meredith cursed again. Her life was perfect until that bitch screwed it all up.

The fact that any of her own actions or conscious decisions had any part in her current misery never even crossed her mind. This was all someone else's fault.

Meredith was privileged and entitled, why couldn't everyone see that?


	76. Chapter 76

**CH76**

It was now one month later:

Kali had taken a few of her first steps. Emily was helping Alexis take care of her sister. Alexis had said big sisters are supposed to take care of their little sisters. Emily worked out that since she was bigger (physically anyway to her) that she should take care of her little sister like Alexis was.

There wasn't much for a Detective to do in a small colony but that didn't mean Kate was bored.

The Emu farm was already in full swing. They had 8 new babies just last month and were expecting at least 8 more this month with about 4 more shortly after.

The dry docks were behind schedule. It had taken the team longer to put the heavy equipment together than they had anticipated.

The silo was up and their first harvest was coming up soon. It was going to take a lot of the colony to help do the harvest and fill the silo.

Jim was making sure everything was running smoothly. This work wasn't what he was used to, but he found that he was good at it, plus it allowed him to stay close to Katie, Madison and the entire family.

After all the years that he had missed, he wasn't going to miss any more of them. If that meant living in a small colony on another planet, then that's what he would do.

Rick and Kate still went hunting; they just didn't need to hunt for Emu anymore. One of the new ones that Rick and Kate had recently started bringing back was Alligator. A number of people found that Alligator meat to be very tasty.

Rick had mentioned you could use the skins to make things. However no one in the colony had any experience with that, so they stuck with just eating the meat.

"You sure you can handle all this babe?" Kate was willing to help, even if she didn't know what to do. Turner and his wife were out on a site trip and not here to help him.

"I'll be fine, it's just 3 alligators. I'll have them in the freezer in no time. Go check on the girls, we both know you want to." Rick starts preparing his knives for a skinning.

"Have Lucy yell if you need help." Kate gives him a quick kiss and heads for their dome and their daughters.

As she was walking Kate saw Captain Montgomery headed her way. "Captain I didn't know you were here."

"Detective Castle, it's always a pleasure. All I mostly have this time is cargo and a few people for the dry docks, so we are handling it without needing help this time. It may be a while before you see the next ship. Probably at least 3 months still." Roy informs Kate while smiling.

"We're in good shape really. Did you bring the water filters and the spare UV light?" Kate knew their water filtration needed looking after.

"I did, those boxes are already located in the water treatment room. You are good to go." Roy knows because he helped since it gave him an excuse to come to this area. "If you'll excuse me, your husband's cooking is calling me." Roy grins. He really did like coming here. It was a welcome change from ship food.

"He's working on some alligators we just brought back, but I'm sure he can find time to cook a little something." Kate was sure Rick would help him.

"Ooooo, alligator meat. I better get going, have a pleasant day Detective." Roy hurries off.

Kate steps into her dome to find Madison and Alexis playing with Emily while Kali was standing using the Futon to hold herself up.

Kate moves over to Kali. "And how is my little girl today." Kate tickles her a little. Getting Kali to giggle and dance in place. "I'm going to go shower you two, I'll be back in 15." Kate grabs some clothes. Kate felt grimy after coming back from hunting and dragging dead alligators into the shuttle.

When Kate got back Kali was down for a nap and Emily was actually sitting there all quiet.

"Is she alright, she's almost never this quiet." Kate asks of Emily.

"It's been a busy morning since you left. We've had her moving since you left. She should be tired by now, I know I am." Madison sinks into the other Futon.

Kate plops down next to her. "So some quality quite time, sounds like an alien concept."

Both Madison and Kate had their heads leaning back taking in the quiet.

"Mom, Mags?" Alexis called out.

They both lift their heads to look at Alexis. Kate thought she looked nervous for some reason.

"I, …. I have something for you." And Alexis holds up a Digital Optical Chip for them to see. Then she reaches it out for Madison to take.

After Madison has it in her hand. "You should watch what's on it." Alexis tells them and runs out of the dome.

"ALEXIS, …. PUMPKIN?" Kate calls after her but Alexis doesn't stop or come back.

Kate turns to look at the chip Madison is holding now scared of the thing.

Madison alternated staring at Kate and the chip in her hand. "I, … I suppose we should plug it in, you think?" Madison wasn't in any hurry.

"Yea I suppose." Not that Kate was moving either. "Oh the hell with it." Kate takes the chip out of Madison's hand and goes over to the monitor.

Kate hesitates and turns to Madison who has moved to the other Futon to see the monitor better while sitting. Kate nods her head and inserts the chip and steps over to sit next to Madison.l

Shortly four people come up on the screen. Two women and two men, all of them somewhere in their late 40's, maybe early 60's at most sitting side by side.

Both Kate and Madison squeal shocked and slap their hands over their mouths with tears starting immediately.

"Hi girls, it's been a long time. A ship captain, … Zhukov?" Mrs. Queller looks at the others to verify she got it right. "He left us each a chip for us to watch." She holds up hers.

"I cried thru the entire thing and had to watch it at least 3 times to get all of it." Mrs. Walker looked like she was ready to cry again actually.

"MOM, DAD?!" Madison can barely say the words as the tears fall.

Then Mrs. Queller picked up where she left off. "She told us a lot. About where both of you are now, that you had found each other after all these years." She stopped.

Mr. Queller started talking next. "She told us you were studying to be a doctor baby, and that you were working hard to do just that. We're proud of you baby, we always have been, even if we didn't convey it very well." He stopped so he could prevent himself from crying too hard.

Kate and Madison however were not trying to stop their crying, it had actually increased.

"Ever since we got this chip we've been talking to each other more and more since our divorce. Losing our only child and losing our 2 other children plus the loss of Johanna and Jim was literally more stress than we could handle. No promises but we are talking again." Mr. Walker stops talking for the same reason.

"Kate honey she put your little Emily up in front of the monitor for us to see and told us a lot about her. Then she lifted up a tiny Kali for us all to see, ..." Mrs. Walker had to stop to get the tears under control.

Kate and Madison were madly trying to wipe theirs away so they could still see the monitor clearly.

"Madison honey your father and I really wish you had talked to us. Ok, maybe more forced us to listen. We should have been there for you, but we weren't and we're sorry honey, so very sorry." Mrs. Queller stops talking and wipes tears away.

"Maddie, baby, we screwed up. We all screwed up. You three were all like daughters to us, how many families can say they have 3 daughters? …. Then we lost one and it just kept falling apart and there didn't seem to be an end. …. By the time your mother and I finally came out of hiding we couldn't find you. You seemed to be forever on the move. We would find where you used to be weeks or months ago, but never where you were then." Mr. Queller hangs his head low.

"DAD!?" Madison mumbles thru her hands.

"Katie honey, we are so happy that you named your baby after our daughter to remember one of your best friends. …. That red headed young lady is an amazing person to arrange all this. The time and energy she went thru to find all of us." Mrs. Walker stops to cry again.

"ALEXIS!?" Kate increased her crying even more as her heart for Alexis grew even bigger.

"You're beautiful red headed daughter told us a lot about how you found her and your husband. That is one amazing young lady, you should be proud of her. Though I have no doubt that you are." Mr. Walker stops to grab a tissue for his eyes.

"Madison baby, your mother, mothers, and I, fathers don't care what you've done in the past. That's all in the past. We just want to see you baby, you're our daughter and Kate's family." Mr. Queller stopped.

Kate and Madison were busy wiping away tears and nodding their heads.

"Katie honey, your daughter invited us all out to see you and everyone else. It would be good to see you, Maddie and Jim again. Personally I'm dying to get my hands on your daughters and to kiss this Alexis as much as I can, she deserves it." Mrs. Walker stops to wipe away more tears.

"The four of us have been talking and are working to figure out how to get the time off work required to come to you. You're oldest daughter begged us to come see the little Kali. We can't begin to thank you for naming her that." Mr. Walkers lower lip was quivering and his voice was breaking.

"Madison honey we'll be there somehow, please don't hate us. We know we screwed up. We just want a chance to make it up to you." Mrs. Queller stops to wipe more tears.

"Katie honey, please don't be mad. We just want a chance to get it right. A Captain Montgomery is supposed to come collect this chip and give it to that amazing red headed daughter of yours." Mrs. Queller covers her mouth with her hands, and then wipes away tears.

"If we can arrange it the four of us plan on being on Captain Zhukov's ship for his next trip out to you. We all love the both of you, so very much." Mrs. Queller finally relents and just cries.

Mr. Queller reaches in and turns off the recording.

Kate and Madison simply hold each other and cry. It takes several minutes for them to calm down enough to even attempt to talk. "We need to find Alexis. We owe that girl the hug and kiss of a lifetime." Madison manages to find her voice first.

Kate however can only nod. Kate loves Alexis just that much more now.

"I'll get Kali." Madison offers. However Kate is the first one on her feet. Approaching a quiet Emily who looks sad since her mother has been crying. "Come on sweetie, we need to find your amazing older sister." Kate lifts her up but lets her walk.

Madison with a sleeping Kali joins Kate at the monitor. "Lucy?" Kate asks.

"Alexis is in greenhouse dome number 2 sitting there doing nothing." Lucy anticipates the question.

Kate was doing what she could to get Emily to run with her. Kate wanted to find Alexis NOW, so she could hug, kiss her and tell her she loved her.

Madison found Alexis first and rushed over to her and knelled down and with Kali in one arm, hugged Alexis close. "You're amazing Alexis, simply amazing. I don't know how to thank you, but I'll find a way. Somehow." Madison kisses her cheek.

Kate with Emily in tow finally makes it to Alexis where she kneels down onto her knees and opens her arms wide starting to cry again.

Alexis wastes no time in placing herself in her mother's arms. "Oh Pumpkin, thank you so very much. …. I love you, so very much." Kate squeezes Alexis not wanting to let go.

"You're not mad at me?" Alexis had such fear about this.

"Oh of course not pumpkin. What you did, …." Kate didn't have words so she just kissed her instead.

Madison joined them down on her knees. "No we're not mad Alexis. We both love you for this, so very much." Madison uses her free hand to rub Alexis. "How did you find them?" Madison didn't think it was possible.

"I used Lucy to help me create a request and sent it to the council. Then I had Captain Zhukov and Montgomery deliver the chips and bring back their response." Alexis looks bashful. "Were they not mad I found them?" Another of Alexis's main worries about this.

"No pumpkin they weren't mad, they are even trying to figure out how to come here on the next ship. Which will be in two months according to Captain Montgomery." Kate explains kissing Alexis again. "Does your father know about this?" Kate was going to owe him big again.

"A little, he offered suggestions." Alexis did most of the work.

"I think this calls for ice cream, what do you think?" Kate asks Alexis looking at her. Getting a nod from Alexis.

"What do you think Emily? Ice cream?" Kate looks at her smiling and nodding her head.

"Ice cream!" Emily slaps her hands together.

Rick was walking out of the walk-in freezer putting the last of his butchered alligator away when everyone walked in. "We need ice cream babe, we're celebrating." Kate was grinning wide.

"O-kay, what are we celebrating?" Rick was interested in why everyone was ginning at him.

"Our parents are going to come for a visit because of Alexis." Kate was still smiling.

"You found them pumpkin?" Rick knew she was trying, not that she succeeded. Alexis just nods her head.

"Ice cream it is then. Somebody get the bowls and spoons." As Rick walks back into the walk-in freezer.

Kali wasn't old enough for ice cream yet. Not that, that stopped her from watching every spoonful Madison ate and using her arms to try and reach for it.

Jim walked in. "Here you are." Seeing all the ice cream. "What are we celebrating?"

Kate stops eating and gets up to hug her father. While still holding onto him she explains the chip Alexis sent and that they are coming here when they can.

Jim looked like he was ready to cry. "Here, here?" Kate just nods.

"It's been so long since I've seen them. Well, maybe they saw me, but I didn't see them." Jim was sad again instantly.

"Dad don't! Please. That was then, this is now, and their coming here. They want to see everyone." Kate wipes away a stray tear.

Jim stares at Kate wondering what to do. "Where's my bowl?" Getting Kate to laugh.

Jim was eating his ice cream. "So all of this is because of Alexis."

Kate nods her head. "I don't know what got her to think to do this, but yea, it's because of her hard work."

Jim got up and walked around to Alexis, leaving his ice cream behind. Then kissed Alexis on her cheek. "Thank you."

Alexis simply blushes a nice red color. She had been so afraid of how this could have worked out.

Kate and/or Madison would be mad at her. Find a way to punish her for what she had done. Madison's parents might hate their daughter and not want to see her. And be mad at Alexis for having even told them anything about her.

Then there was Kali's parents. The first Kali. Would they be mad that Kate had named her child after her? They were divorced after all. Did they both hate each other enough to both hate Alexis for bringing it all up again.

They had lost their only child after all. The only child they were ever going to have.

Yea Alexis had feared a lot of things. The fact that everyone was happy and kissing her was a relief.

Even Shawn was here eating ice cream sitting next to Madison. Another of her plans that had worked out.

It made her happy. Shawn was a nice guy, he just needed a girlfriend and her mother's old friend needed to be happy.

Alexis was happy and glowing.


	77. Chapter 77

**CH77**

It is now 3 months later:

Lucy had informed all of them that the Sun Rises had just achieved orbit. As a result, Kate, Rick, Emily, Kali, Alexis, Madison, Shawn and Jim were all standing in a group at the shuttle landing site.

Rick was anxious to see the people he had only heard about. Alexis had not seen what was on the chip either, so she didn't know what to expect either.

Jim however was anxious to see them. Him and Johanna had included them in their family because the girls did everything together. It had initially struck him as weird the way the girls had called all of them mom or dad even though 2 of them were not really his daughter.

When he went into the bottom of that bottle he had reasoned to himself that he really only had one daughter. The alcohol may have initially dulled the pain of losing Johanna, it also kept him from thinking about his only real daughter.

And when the buzz of the alcohol no longer made the pain go away, he drank even more to get that feeling back. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn't. He'd be dead by now if not for finally waking up. And all alone if not for Rick and Alexis.

Jim knew firsthand what these two could do to and for people in Kate's life. They both just wanted her happy and did everything it took to accomplish that one task. He knew just what these 4 were thinking all the way out here.

Kate and Madison were practically jumping out of their skins. Being in Rick's arms was the only thing holding Kate together. While the same could be said for Madison except it was Shawn's arms.

It was only one month ago when Madison had finally decided that she could let Shawn make love to her. As in her past she had tried to do it fast and get it over with. Shawn however had slowed it way down. What Shawn had done to her and for her that night had been nothing short of amazing. What they had done that one night and several nights since then had made Madison feel like she was a virgin all over again.

Madison was falling in love with Shawn more and more each day. He made her feel like a new person. One she had hoped to be when she was young, back with it was her, Kali and Kate.

Now here she was bouncing in his arms waiting for her real parents and step parents to land in their shuttle and step off. Now if she could just figure out what to say to them.

Eventually they saw a shuttle land right where it was supposed to and out came five people. The first out was Captain Zhukov, he was quickly followed by the Quellers and Walkers.

Captain Zhukov directed them straight to them while he himself remained behind.

The Quellers and Walkers stopped within a few feet of Kate, Madison and the others. Mrs. Queller and Mrs. Walker were barely holding it together as the tears threatened to take them over. The men were a little more stoic but the tears were falling down their faces too.

Madison finally couldn't take it anymore and released herself from Shawn arms and slammed into her mother to hug her and start crying in earnest. This got her mother to break and start crying with her.

Just as Madison had started moving Kate did the same with Mrs. Walker. The four of them were soon a crying mess. The men for each soon wrapped their arms around each of them and joined in the crying.

Sometime later they were all sitting in the kitchen eating REAL food and talking.

They had all greeted Jim and been introduced to Rick, Shawn, Alexis, Emily and Kali.

Mrs. Walker was sitting eating while holding Kali. She had taken Kali in her arms the second she had stopped crying in Kate's arms long enough for her mind to function again and hadn't let go yet.

"You crashed on Earth and met Rick and Alexis?" Mrs. Walker wants to be clear. "And all of us are here now because of the two of them?"

Kate nods her head. "Rick found my dad and had Captain Montgomery bring him out here. Then Rick found Madison and convinced her to come. Then Alexis took on the task of finding you and getting you to come."

"And you didn't know they were doing this." Mrs. Walker had heard the tale so she wasn't really asking.

Kate shakes her head as new tears start. "I got a chip from dad, and then found out about Madison, and then we both watched the chip you sent. I was in love with both of them even before they did this." Kate smiles at both Rick and Alexis and leans over to kiss Rick.

"I don't know how these two found me. There were times even I didn't know where I was. I ended up with a chip and a reader. I jumped at the chance to change my life. If it didn't involve Kate I don't think I would have come.

It wasn't until after I was here that I learned about Kali. Actually Jim and I came out on the same ship." Madison explains.

"Did you know Madison was coming Jim?" Mr. Walker asks turning his head from his ex-wife and the little girl in her arms.

Jim shakes his head. "I thought it was just going to be me. I think I cried for days after we ran across each other on ship."

"Him and me both. Talking with Jim for one whole month to get here reminded me how much I missed him, and what the loss of Johanna had meant to me. … To all of us." Madison's tears started falling again.

"Mags?" Emily turned in Madison's lap to look up at her.

"I'm fine sweetie, they're happy tears this time." Madison assures her.

"Did you know about these two before you got here honey?" Mrs. Queller asks her.

Madison shakes her head. "Not until I got here. Jim didn't tell me or even give me a clue all the way out here. It was a complete shock when I found out about Kali. …. I don't think I took my hands off of her for days. Now I look at each of them constantly in the medical area."

"That reminds me. I have something for you." Mr. Queller pulls something out of the small bag each of them were carrying and hands it over to Madison. "We were told you are expecting this."

"MY PAPERS?!" Madison takes the large envelope and starts opening it.

"We're all so proud of you honey." Mrs. Queller tell her. "Our girl is a doctor."

"We're both happy for you honey. Kali would be proud of you." Mrs. Walker tells her.

Madison was busy looking at her official papers and hands them over to Shawn for him to read.

"Did you two meet here?" Mrs. Queller asks.

"Yes. I was a lake biologist on Tellus, then I found out about this colony and applied for a transfer. However since we can't actually get out into the oceans yet I've been helping Alexis in the greenhouses while I learn about Hydroponics. We met in the greenhouse one day to help Alexis." Shawn answers her question.

Kate however turns on Alexis. "Pumpkin, you and I are going to have a nice long talk." Kate thinks she has figured out something. First Jim, then Madison, followed by Madison and now her other parents from years ago. 2+2= Alexis.

Alexis looks guilty and stares at the floor. "Yes mom." Knowing Kate has figured her out.

"How long are you guys staying?" Jim asks his first question.

"It took us a month to get here. The next ship is scheduled for a month from now, followed by a month back home. It was the best we could arrange." Mr. Queller answers his question.

"About that. … I have something for you." And Alexis holds up another chip for all to see and hands it over to Mrs. Walker who was the closest to her.

"Ok Pumpkin, you're with me." Kate jumps up and takes Alexis's hand and escorts her out and doesn't stop until they reach their dome.

"Ok Pumpkin, I love you. Maybe more than you'll ever understand, but I want to know what is going on. So start talking." Kate crosses her arms and glares at Alexis.

"You know what is on this?" Mrs. Walker asks looking at Rick.

"A little yes. All of the monitors have input ports for that chip. They also have slots for USB connections. You can plug that into any one of them." Rick tells her. "Lucy will show you what is on it."

Mrs. Walker still holding onto Kali, since she wasn't going to let go of her until she had to, gets up and goes over to the closest monitor and inserts the chip.

Alexis starts explaining her plan to get Shawn and Madison together and see what happens. "He's a nice guy mom. He just needed a girlfriend. And I was just trying to make Mags happy." Alexis stares at the floor afraid of how much trouble she was in.

Mrs. Walker was staring at the screen reading when everyone hears her inhale sharply and cover her mouth with her spare hand holding Kali on her hip. Then it sounds like she is hyperventilating. Then she turns to the others with tears flowing down her face. "You three should read this."

Then Alexis starts explaining her plan for the Walkers and Quellers to come here and visit their family. "They're her parents mom. Even you like them. I was just trying to make everyone happy." Alexis goes back to staring at the floor.

"And you decided not to tell me or your father?" Kate was her mother. Why would she think Kate wouldn't help her?

"If it didn't work you didn't need to be sad about it not working out. … And dad does know. At least a little." Alexis throws her dad under the bus called Kate to justify her doing this and that it wasn't all alone.

"You and your father's surprises. They are going to be the death of me." Kate groans. Kate loves the two of them so much; she is going to have to find a way to adjust to these two love of surprises before they killed her.

"Ok pumpkin, what else have you done? What is on that new chip?" What has Alexis done now?

The other three join Mrs. Walker and start reading. Mrs. Queller is soon crying and holding onto her husband just to remain standing. Mr. Walker is helping to hold his ex-wife upright since she is still holding onto Kali and crying at the same time.

"You know what is going on?" Jim asks looking at Rick.

"I know what Alexis was trying to accomplish. It would appear that she succeeded." Rick turns to where Kate left with Alexis in tow wondering what Kate was doing.

"You did what?" Kate is shocked.

"They don't have to mom. It's just an option. You and Mags can tell or offer them to go back. Or convince them to go back. They don't have to." Alexis tried to defend herself. "They used to be your parents when you were young. I just thought you might like for them to be that again." Alexis figures she is in big trouble now.

"Am I reading this right?" Mr. Queller asks out loud not really expecting an answer.

"I don't, … I never thought, …. now what do we do?" Mrs. Queller asks out loud.

"Rick, what has Alexis done?" Madison wants to know what is going on.

"Alexis asked me if we could search for you and offer you to come. After you were here, we talked about trying to find your parents and step-parents for lack of a better word.

I left it to her and Lucy to find them. After they accomplished that I helped them both put together an invitation to come here for a visit. We had to work with the companies that they work for and get them to agree to give them the needed time off work.

One month out, one month here, while they wait for the next ship and then one month back. It's a lot of time to ask for. … I don't know exactly what they are reading but I can guess knowing my daughter." Rick is grinning but also worried about how everyone would take it.

Madison and Jim simply glare at Rick silently asking him "WHAT?"

"PUMPKIN?" Kate is now down on her knees after Alexis has finished explaining what is on the chip.

"I'm just trying to make everyone happy mom. They lost you mom and Kali too." Alexis was crying tears while staring at the floor again.

Kate moves in to wrap her arms around Alexis and hold her tight. "Oh pumpkin!"

"You're not mad mom?" Alexis was so afraid of what her mom would think but always thought this was a good idea, and her dad had helped her.

"No pumpkin, I'm not mad. You still surprise me with what you can do. … Just please sweetie, no more big surprises. I'm not sure my heart is going to take too many more of these."

Rick relents. "I think what she has arranged is for them to have the option of staying here while still working for the same companies they work for now."

Madison slaps her hands over her mouth afraid of what would come out. Turning her head to look at her parents she can see them softly talking amongst themselves.

Making up her mind, Madison jumps up and walks quickly over to them and wraps her arms around her mother from behind.

Mrs. Queller twists her head to verify who it is that has her arms around her and is crying. "Are you staying?" Madison asks them.

"We need to talk honey. It wasn't really an option when we came out here. We all have homes, furnishings and lots of stuff. Plus living here instead of there. …. It's a lot to think about honey." Mrs. Queller answers.

"Do you want us to stay?" Mrs. Walker asks while bouncing Kali who was trying to wipe away some of her tears for her.

Madison was silent, she hadn't thought about them staying either.

"Baby, how about you think about while we talk about it. Maybe together we can come up with an answer." Mr. Queller answers.

It worked for Madison so she nodded her head.

"Hey honey I'm in." Jenny yelled out to her husband.

"Good! They said at work yesterday that the banks would be open today. I'm supposed to be part of an armed escort to bring food to grocery stores that don't need too much repair. Then I'm supposed to stay and provide armed security while they are open, which probably will not be long." Kevin reminds her.

Then he heard Jenny yell which got him running to her while she sat on the living room with the laptop in her lap. "What is it? Is it empty?"

Jenny couldn't get anything to come out after she opened her mouth to answer him.

Since she didn't answer him Kevin bent down to look over her shoulder to look for himself. "What the hell!?"

Jenny could just shake her head. "Open it, see where it came from." Kevin was still staring at it not believing his eyes.

Jenny opened a second screen that was a breakdown of their latest transactions. With all the banks being closed until today, they hadn't spent any money. With no on-line banking they hadn't paid any of their bills and they were worried that the power was going to get turned off, amongst other things.

There was however a number of transactions that showed money coming in. Since he was working for the NYPD again they could see his salary for the last few weeks. Prior to that there had been two huge deposits.

Jenny selected the first one. It had all the markings of it being a wire transfer dated months ago, and it was a big one. "look at the date. That was before all of this crap happened. …. I think I know those numbers. I've seen them somewhere before."

Kevin moves over to a desk and opens one of the drawers he pulls out a bunch of papers till he finds the one he is looking for. Then walks back over to Jenny and reads off the numbers he has in his hand.

"Those are the same numbers honey. What is that?" Jenny compares the numbers and they were a match.

"It's the bank my payments came from when I was working for Enterprise Holdings." Kevin tells her.

"Your former boss, who has disappeared, transferred money into our account?" Jenny was confused.

"That date puts it just days before we all knew she had gone missing. Javi and I went over to her home one day as a little side trip while we were out in the field. Her home is all locked up tight and boarded closed from the inside. It didn't look like anyone was home." Kevin tells her still confused.

"Can you bring up the other one?" Kevin wanted to see the other deposit.

Jenny brought it up and that deposit was even bigger than the previous one. "I don't recognize those numbers, … you?" Kevin asks.

Jenny shakes her head still numb. If this was right, they weren't just rich, they were stinking rich.

Kevin was still staring at the laptop when his cell phone rang. "Hey Javi, I was just getting ready, I'll meet you at the precinct." Kevin had seen the caller ID.

Kevin listened for a few minutes. "Yea Jenny were just looking. You mean you got this too?" Kevin was shocked and it got Jenny to turn to look at him.

"Yea I know, it's weird. One of them matches the bank numbers from my paycheck receipts from when we worked for Enterprise Holdings." Kevin informs Javi.

"Yea man, that's her. … No I don't recognize the other one. Should we look it up in the precinct when we have the time?" Kevin thought they should know where all this money came from.

"What do you mean Lanie has the same deposits?" Kevin was now in an even bigger shock. And by the look on Jenny's face so was she.

"Tell me the amounts you got." Kevin asks suspecting something.

Javi tells him the numbers and Kevin looks at the laptop over Jenny's shoulder again. "Those are perfect matches to what we got." Kevin tells Javi. …. "Lanie got the same amount." …. "Read the dates of the deposit back to me." ….. "Yea, those match ours too."

Kevin listened to Javi for a few minutes. "I think those are from Kate and her writer husband. I'm thinking they got cash, lots of it and ran somewhere. Someplace that might not get affected directly from all this." Kevin shares his wild idea.

"No Javi I haven't got a clue where that could be. A Caribbean island somewhere maybe. They could have hired a private jet to take them somewhere before all the planes were grounded. Live off the land maybe while we blow ourselves to hell and gone." Kevin explains his idea.

"Food shouldn't be a problem for them. You remember how she wanted a giant greenhouse on the roof of her office space?" Kevin offers. "She also talked about how her husband had a summer house in upper New York that was isolated from everything and everyone." Kevin listened some more.

"If they took enough cash before all the banks closed they are not roughing it." Kevin points out.

"Yea I'll meet you at the precinct." Kevin hangs up. "I have to go honey. I'll let you think what we do with all that money while I'm gone."

"I'll think of something and we can discuss it. Please stay safe honey. It's still wild out there." Jenny was worried about him.

"I'll be fine, Javi is a good partner to have. We'll be fine." Kevin kisses Jenny before stepping out the door.

It was so much money Jenny didn't know what to do with it all. A lot of things were now ungodly expensive while others were only a fraction of what they used to be worth.

Jenny decided to start making a list, they could talk about it when Kevin got home.

**Eliminate all debt**

**Buy farm land that has gone into bankruptcy**

**Save most of it for when times are better**

**Maybe they could buy up a few of the better restaurants that went into bankruptcy? Just the ones that weren't destroyed in the vandalism. Eventually people would be out eating again.**


	78. Chapter 78

**CH78**

Housing was tight since another housing dome didn't come with the Quellers and the Walkers.

Madison moved in with the Castle clan while Jim stayed where he was and the Quellers and Walkers joined him in that dome.

The supplies that came with Captain Montgomery all dealt with the dry dock construction site. They needed the ability to build ships so they could start fishing the ocean. It was likely that what they grew on this planet would only be used by the people who lived here. What they got out of the ocean was another matter.

Alexis was out with Turner going north to determine how much territory they had to use to expand their farm land. Alexis was doing the flying while Turner did most of the looking and taking measurements.

"Set us down, I think I see something familiar." Turner asked.

The two of them were stepping out to take a look around. "Over there I think." Alexis points.

Before they were even there. "I think mom is going to like this. … Yea she is going to like this a lot." Alexis is mostly just talking to herself, however Turner has heard it.

"These are grape vines. We know what to do with this. We need to get a team out here to construct vine fences. These are growing out here so we just need to expand the area. …. We need to talk to Lucy so we can get a team out here today." Turner and Alexis head for their shuttle.

Turner pulls out the map they got from Lucy and the satellites. "Let's head west out to this area here next. It looks like we will find minerals out here in this desert area much like Tellus. If we can obtain our own resources to help ourselves, we won't have to rely on Tellus to send them to us."

Madison was just getting up after a long day in the Medical area the day before. "Good morning sleepy head." Kate teases.

Madison was all set to give Kate a retort when Kali came walking, stumbling over to her. "Mags." And lifts her arms up.

Madison smiles and picks Kali up. "Hi sweetie, you want to take a shower with me?" Madison wanted to get clean. Kali nods her head and smiles at her.

"Ok, let's find some clothes for you shall we." After finding clothes for her and herself. "Has she been fed Becks?" Wondering what she needed to do after getting clean.

"I fed her about 30 minutes ago. Emily and I have already showered." Kate informs her. "And Alexis showered even before that and is out with Turner doing a site survey. They want to expand the farm land. They also talked about going west to look for minerals, so she is going to be gone for a while."

"Alexis is growing up fast Becks." A little worried for her.

"I know. … When we were her age we didn't do half of what she does. I'll be glad when this colony is big enough that we can move back to Ariel. There are probably kids her age already there by now. Get her back into a school so she can make friends her age. …. We're asking too much of her Mags." Kate was worried.

"Spoken like a true mother Becks." Madison giggles a little.

"I sound like my mom." Kate moans.

"You have daughters Becks, that makes you mom. Something I'm sure your mother would be proud of." Madison still remembered Johanna.

"She'd be amazed I was listening to her." Kate laughs at herself.

"We'll be back soon." Madison tells Kate and walks out with Kali headed for the showers.

"Rick is probably cleaning up from breakfast, he might still have something if you are interested." Kate calls after her.

Emily walks over to Kate carrying her pad. "Mama?"

"You want me to read to you?" Kate guesses since she has her reading pad. Getting Emily to nod her head.

"Ok, let's see what we have got." Kate sits down and Emily sits next to Kate and snuggles in close.

After Kate finds something to read she wraps her arm around her while holding the pad in one hand.

"If you give a mouse a cookie," Kate turns the page.

"He's going to ask for a glass of milk." Kate turns the page.

"When you give him the milk," Kate starts to turn the page.

"Mama, what is that?" Emily points to the picture.

"That is a refrigerator. You put milk in it to keep it cold." Kate tells her.

"Like dada's?" Emily had been inside the walk-in with Rick before.

"Yes, just like your dada's, only smaller." Kate turns the page.

"He'll probably ask you for a straw." Kate turns the page.

"When he's finished, he'll ask for a napkin." Kate starts to turn the page.

"Did he make a mess mama?" Emily knows napkins are for cleaning up the mess she makes.

"Let's find out." Kate turns the page.

"Then he'll want to look in a mirror to make sure he doesn't have a milk mustache." Kate starts to turn the page.

"Do I get a milk musta, … musche." Emily is having trouble with it.

"Mustache sweetie. Mus-tash." Kate corrects her.

"Mustash." Emily gets closer.

"Very good sweetie. You're so very good at this." Kate bends over to kiss the top of her head.

"I'm smart mama." Emily is proud of herself.

"Yes you are sweetie, very smart." Kate turns the page.

"When he looks into the mirror, he might notice his hair needs a trim. So he'll probably ask for a pair of nail scissors" Kate turns the page.

Emily starts laughing and points at the pad. "He's making a mess mama."

"Yes he is sweetie, just like you." Kate bops her nose with her index finger.

"No mess mama." Emily takes exception to being called messy.

"Only sometimes sweetie. …. When he's finished giving himself a trim, he'll want a broom to sweep up. He'll start sweeping." Kate turns the page.

"Can I have milk mama?" Emily was now sidetracked from reading.

"You want to finish reading first?" Emily started this so Kate thought they should finish.

Emily shakes her head. "Milk mustash mama."

"You want a milk mustache? I think we can fix that, let's go find your dada. He probably has some in his refrigerator." Kate puts the pad down and gets up with Emily.

"Cold milk mama?" Emily wanted a cold milk mustache.

"Yes, very cold sweetie." With Emily's hand in hers they walked to the kitchen in search of cold milk.

Madison and Kali were back from their shower and Madison was helping Kali to walk in-between tickling her to get her to want to walk faster to get away from the tickling.

"Madison honey, can we talk to you?" The Walkers and Quellers come walking in. "Do you know where Kate is?" They wanted to talk to both of them.

"Kate and Emily are in the kitchen getting milk mustaches." Lucy answers her question.

"We were hoping to do this all at the same time." Mrs. Walker didn't want to have to do this individually.

"I can add Kate on the monitor if that will help." Lucy offers and puts Kate on the monitor.

"We wanted to talk to you girls. …. You're father and I have decided to look into moving here so we can be closer to both of you." Mrs. Queller informs them.

"REALLY!" Madison was instantly happy.

"We'd love to have you." Kate says thru the monitor.

"Mama has a milk mustash." Emily interrupts not knowing better.

Rick swoops in and picks up Emily and soon has her attention on something else.

"There is nothing confirmed about this. We want to see what it takes and what consequences of this are first." Mr. Queller puts a damper on their enthusiasm, just in case.

"We however will not be staying." Mrs. Walker tells them.

"Why? Is it not someplace you want to live? I'll admit it's not like home, but it's nice." Madison wants an answer.

"We just don't feel like it's a good fit for us. Too much has happened that we can't recover from." Mr. Walker tells them both.

Kate disappeared from the monitor and shows up where they all are a little out of breath having sprinted the entire way.

"WHY? Is it because we didn't ask you to stay? … We thought it would be best to let you make up your own mind." Kate didn't like this news.

"We're sorry honey." Mrs. Walker takes a hold of Kate. "There are just some things that can't be fixed."

"We thought you would be interested in all being back together again. Just without Johanna or Kali. The first Kali." Madison didn't like this plan either.

"We are sorry girls, but we are divorced for a reason. We are happy for you two and the Queller's if they decide to stay, but it's not for us. We're out here because we wanted to see you two, and the babies." Mr. Walker tells them all.

"We'll spend as much time with you girls and the little ones as we can, …. But we're going home when the ship comes." Mrs. Walker tells them.

Kate searches their faces for a clue hoping for something she could use to change their minds. However both Queller's had shaken their heads lightly. Kate figured they both knew something.

"I'll have Lucy send you pictures and maybe some videos as Kali and Emily grow up." Kate resigns to the fate of them leaving. "You should at least see how both of them are doing."

"I think we would like that." Mrs. Walker tells her.

They both leave at the same time, but not together in anyway.

Madison who still has a hold of Kali steps up. "Mom, Dad?" Looking for an explanation that made sense.

"The slept in separate rooms on the trip out here. Even now they sleep on opposite sides of the dome. We've never actually caught them talking to each other, ever." Mr. Queller informs both of them.

"I think they really are divorced girls, not matter how much you don't want them to be." Mrs. Quller tells them shedding a few tears.

"I think too much has happened and they don't know how to fix it, and aren't interested in trying to anymore.

As much as we loved Kali and the life we had back then, it was their daughter. Their only daughter and they can't get past it. At least not together." Mr. Queller didn't like it either. They had been friends and it was painful seeing them like this.

"We still have two weeks Becks." Madison could hope for a miracle.

"Then it's a good thing we have an ace in the hole." Kate picks up Kali. "Come on sweetie, let's go see if we can find your big sister." Kate exits on a mission leaving the Queller's behind.

"You think she stands a chance." Mrs. Queller asks Madison.

"Alexis found Jim, me, you two and them. And trust me, that is no small feat. If she can't get them back together before they leave, no one can." Madison still didn't know about Alexis's involvement with Shawn, or she would be more impressed. Right after Madison killed her, or kissed her.

Admiral Quast was in a secure video chat with the President, Chairman of the joint Chiefs and Thomas R. Frieden MD, MPH of the CDC in Atlanta, GA.

China was asking for help. They had 136 cases just outside of Hong Kong with 54 deaths. With still another 463 cases country wide. They didn't give the number of deaths but it wasn't hard to do the math.

It was spreading like wildfire and was headed for their border with Russia. Russia it seems had gotten wind of what was coming their way and were blaming the Chinese that it was a deliberate attack and that they would respond accordingly.

China had lost hundreds of thousands due to the tactical nukes, plus large areas were contaminated with radiation from those same devices. The virus didn't care who you were or how rich or poor you were.

Intelligence speculated that someone close to the family of the President of China had been infected but not yet died, with the possibility that it was running thru his family with no way to stop it.

Suddenly losing people close to him instead of all the common people or soldier had sobered him up.

Funny how the politicians that got you into the war but don't suffer for it are suddenly caring when they do feel the effects of their actions. Quast had a word for those kinds of people, but he kept it to himself, as tempting as it was.

China will allow a small contingent of soldiers to escort the WHO and CDC personnel and provide data and support if they are willing to help.

Quast already knew what WHO and CDC personnel would be willing to go. Quast had been ordered to select a team of no more than 6 men to provide support and keep them from getting killed.

"Permission to launch an RQ-4 Global Hawk to keep eyes on the WHO and CDC personnel and their escorts, sir. It will help with communications between our team and us. We can use this to contact the Chinese to get them to back off should a need arise." Quast wasn't going to get 6 good men dead because the Chinese Presidents mistress was dying somewhere.

"I'll get clearance for it, but you can proceed on the assumption that it will be granted."

"Yes sir, thank you sir." Quast got a small victory out of it.

"The WHO and CDC personnel should be on station in about 2 hours. As soon as they are ready you may launch. Good luck Admiral." His conference call ends.

Yeah, and if it all went south the politicians would make sure he would be the one to pay the price, not them.

"Are the Seal Teams still on the Florida?" Quast had a plan that was not authorized.

"Half of them are on the Florida and the other half is on the Philadelphia. The later are scheduled for a rendezvous with the Bonhomme Richard."

"Excellent!" Quast was happy. Thank god for small favors.

"As soon as the WHO and CDC people leave I want the team on the Florida to hold station just off the beach like last time. Get the other team ready with their UH-60's. …. And have the other two carriers have a strike force ready while ours will have 4 18's on ready alert.

The seal team still on the Bonhomme Richard will be going with the WHO and CDC personnel. And have the Pegasus move in closer and loiter around.

I trust the Chinese about as far as I can throw them, and since my shoulder hurts, that isn't very far."

Quast just knew this was all going to go to hell. The Chinese were up to something, he just didn't know what. And since all of this didn't violate his orders it wasn't going to cause him trouble. And when it did go all to hell, he was going to be ready.

"And make sure our 6 Los Angeles class attack subs are out there looking. I don't want a Chinese attack sub sneaking up my rear end." So far the Chinese had done everything up front and in your face and had gotten burned for their troubles. It was likely they would try something else next. But what did they want with WHO and CDC personnel?

"Just keep praying baby, just keep praying." As Quast thought of his teenage daughter once more.


End file.
